The US Commerce Department has confirmed that Taiwan was dumping dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips in the US market and would hike proposed import duties to an average of 21.35 percent from 16.65 percent, local newspapers said yesterday.
In May, the department initially set the import duties at an average of 16.65 percent.
The department investigated four Taiwan DRAM makers and hiked duties on Mosel Vitelic to 35.58 percent from 30.89 percent and Nan Ya Technology to 14.18 percent from 9.03 percent. Etron Technology was the hardest hit, with its duties jumping to 69 percent from 4.96 percent.
However, import duties on Vanguard International Semiconductor were lowered to 8.21 percent from 10.36 percent.
The department would impose the same average of 21.35 percent duties on nine other Taiwan microchip makers, including Taiwan Semiconductor, United Microelectronics and Winbond Electronics.
The US International Trade Commission has scheduled a hearing on the case for Oct. 19 and the Taiwan companies affected by the duties can appeal the ruling. The commission is expected to make its final decision in late November.
Brokers said imposition of punitive US duties would hurt Taiwan's electronics sector, the most heavily weighted component of the benchmark index, but said the Taiwan stock market should have discounted most of the factor.
"Although the US side hikes the anti-dumping tax -- a negative factor, the Taiwan market should have already digested most of (it)," said Hsieh Chih-mao, deputy trading manager at Ting Kong Securities.
"Most Taiwan makers affected by the move already have said they will take measures to reduce the impact to the minimum. The actual impact to them is believed to be limited," Hsieh said.
Taiwan is a major, growing exporter of DRAM chips and its manufacturers recently filed a counter-complaint with Taiwan authorities, alleging dumping in Taiwan by US makers.
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