Taiwan Customs announces anti-dumping duties on Chinese beer, steel

Taipei, Nov. 27 (CNA) Taiwan's Customs Administration on Thursday announced anti-dumping duties on beer and certain hot-rolled flat steel products from China, after a final probe found the imports had harmed local industries.

The duties take effect retroactively from July 3 and will remain in place for five years. Beer imports will face tariffs ranging from 19.13 percent to 51.94 percent, while hot-rolled steel products will be taxed at 16.1-20.15 percent, the Ministry of Finance agency said in its announcement.

Budweiser-affiliated breweries will be subject to a 31.3 percent duty, Kirin Brewery (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd. to 19.13 percent, and other Chinese brewers to 51.94 percent.

For steel, Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Baosteel Zhanjiang Iron & Steel Co., and Shanghai Meishan Iron & Steel Co. were each assigned a 16.1 percent duty, with a 20.15 percent rate applied to all other producers.

The announcement followed a Ministry of Economic Affairs Trade Remedy Commission review in late October confirming substantial injury to domestic industries in both cases. Temporary duties on the affected products have been in place since July 3.

The economics ministry said there was no evidence the measures would hurt Taiwan's broader economic interests.

Duties will also apply to beer imported between April 4 and July 2 if importers knew or should have known the products were being dumped, and if import volumes surged in a way that could undermine the measures, the agency said.

Overpaid temporary duties will be refunded based on the finalized rates, it added.