China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Wednesday formally launched an anti-dumping investigation into hydrogenated butyl rubber imported from the U.S., EU and Singapore, after domestic companies filed complaints with the ministry, alleging the imports were being sold at discounted prices and are thus harming domestic industry.
MOFCOM will investigate whether the hydrogenated butyl rubber imports were being sold at unfair prices and assess the degree of damage caused to domestic industry, according to a notice on the ministry's website.
The investigation will cover imports received between April 2016 and March 2017, and the companies that exported the rubber will be required to register with the ministry and provide relevant documents within 20 days of the issuance of the notice.
On behalf of the domestic industry, Zhejiang Cenway New Synthetic Materials Co and Heyun Group based in Northeast China's Liaoning Province filed a complaint with MOFCOM on August 14, claiming that their businesses had been damaged by dumping of the products in those regions.
Hydrogenated butyl rubber is used in tires, rubber tubes, conveyer belts and other products, according to the complaint published on MOFCOM's website.
The U.S., the EU and Singapore are the main producers of the rubber, with a combined annual output of 620,000 tons, accounting for 58 percent of the world's total, the complaint said.
MOFCOM said that after the initial assessment, such claims permit a formal investigation, which will last for at least one year, starting on Wednesday.
