China to impose anti-dumping duties on Taiwan polycarbonate from Saturday

Taipei, April 19 (CNA) China's Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday that polycarbonate imported from Taiwan will be subject to anti-dumping duties starting Saturday for a period of five years.

In a statement, the ministry confirmed its final determination on anti-dumping measures for imported polycarbonate originating from Taiwan. Based on its investigation, the ministry concluded that dumping practices were causing harm to China's polycarbonate industry.

According to Taiwan's Customs Administration data, exports of polycarbonate to China last year amounted to approximately US$830 million, making it the largest market for Taiwan's polycarbonate exports, accounting for about 78.5 percent of the total.

Polycarbonate was included as an item in the "early harvest" list of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Taiwan and China signed in 2010.

Academics have suggested the decision to impose anti-dumping duties on polycarbonate, a material used in various sectors including electronics, automotive, optics, packaging, medical devices and safety equipment, is part of China's response to broader geopolitical tensions and pressures.

The anti-dumping investigation into imported polycarbonate from Taiwan was initiated by China's Ministry of Commerce in November 2022, with preliminary findings released in August 2023 confirming dumping practices and substantial harm to China's polycarbonate industry.

The interim anti-dumping duties imposed on Taiwanese polycarbonate were as high as 22.4 percent.

However, the investigation, originally scheduled to conclude on May 29 2024, saw its final determination announced on Friday ahead of the inauguration of Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on May 20.

The announcement also outlined specific anti-dumping duties for Taiwanese companies, including Taiwan Chemical Fiber Corp. (9.0 percent), Idemitsu Chemicals Taiwan Corp. (9.0 percent), Chimei Corp. (12.2 percent), Chi Lin Technology Co., Ltd. (12.2 percent), and other Taiwanese entities (22.4 percent).