United States sets subsidy rates

The US Commerce Department on Tuesday set preliminary subsidy rates on imports of aluminum foil from China. China, for its part, urged US authorities to abide by World Trade Organization rules in its investigation of aluminum imports. The Commerce Department said in a statement that it had set preliminary subsidy rates ranging from 16.56 percent to 80.97 percent for Chinese exporters and producers of aluminum foil. Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the US International Trade Commission make affirmative final rulings. The Commerce Department is scheduled to make its final determination around Oct 23, unless the statutory deadline is extended. The department launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of aluminum foil from China in March, in response to a request from the US Aluminum Association Trade Enforcement Working Group. sector and it was also Canada’s largest-ever foreign investment in the field. Xia said Canada had not made its own baby formula for more than 20 years. The Canadian Dairy Commission tried for a number of years to find a domestic processor, but no local companies were interested in expanding into formula, he said.