LONDON, Apr 18 (BBC): China has announced a hefty anti-dumping move against US sorghum imports, as a multi-billion dollar tit-for-tat trade spat between the two nations continues.
China said US importers would have to pay a temporary 178.6 per cent deposit on the value of their imports from Wednesday.
China initiated its investigation into US sorghum imports in February.
US growers were "deeply disappointed" with the findings and are considering legal action in response.
Sorghum is a grain used primarily to feed livestock, but it is also used to create ethanol, or drinking alcohol.
The US is the world's leading producer of sorghum, and is the largest supplier of sorghum to China. China uses its sorghum imports to feed its farm animals, and in its spirits industry.
Analysts said the temporary anti-dumping deposit imposed by China, which comes ahead of a possible anti-dumping tariff on the product, was quite high and that some US shipments in the future could be cancelled as a result.
China's announcement follows months of trade tariffs - and threats of tariffs - imposed by the US and China on each other.
The US claims that China has unfair intellectual property practices, such as those that have allegedly pressurised US companies into sharing technology with Chinese firms when doing business in the country.
US President Donald Trump is primarily using big trade threats aimed at China as a way to make it stop what he calls "illicit trade practices".
In a move that was expected to appease the US, China said this week it would allow full foreign ownership of car firms by 2022, changing the rules that require global carmakers to work through state-owned partners.
The United States Trade Representative has said it will review China's move on US sorghum and will consider taking it to the World Trade Organisation.
China imposes anti-dumping deposits on US sorghum
FE Team | Published: April 18, 2018 21:36:45
China imposes anti-dumping deposits on US sorghum
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