CHINA yesterday urged the United States to conduct a fair investigation into aluminum foil imports from China and follow guidelines set by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the country’s commerce ministry said.

    “Inappropriate use of trade remedy measures will not only harm the export interests of Chinese aluminum foil firms, but also will weaken the competitiveness of the U.S. downstream industries,” according to the statement posted on the commerce ministry’s website yesterday.

    The U.S. Department of Commerce on Tuesday announced that it will launch new anti-dumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of aluminum foil from China, just weeks after the U.S. foil industry accused the world’s top producer of dumping.

    Earlier this month, U.S. producers lodged a petition calling for an investigation and accusing 230 Chinese companies selling almost US$400 million worth of foil last year in the United States at discount prices and damaging the sector.

    Estimated dumping margins range from 38.40 percent to 140.21 percent, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday.

    The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will make preliminary determinations on or before April 24, the U.S. Commerce Department said.

    If the ITC issues affirmative preliminary injury decisions, the investigations will continue and the Commerce Department will make its preliminary determinations on anti-subsidy, or “countervailing” duties and anti-dumping duties June 2 and Aug. 16, respectively.(SD-Agencies)