The Ministry of Finance yesterday announced it would levy stiff anti-dumping duties on cement and cement clinker imports from China, citing damage to the local cement sector.
A provisional 91.58 percent duty will be slapped on Chinese-imported Portland cement type I, type II and its cement clinker, the ministry said in a statement.
The imposition will be backdated to May 30 and last five years, ending on May 29, 2016, the statement added.
“Evidence showed that the imports caused substantial damage to the nation’s cement industry, while a further probe confirmed that levying anti-dumping duties would not have an obvious negative impact on Taiwan,” it said.
A complaint was filed by the Taiwan Cement Products Association (台灣區水泥工業同業公會), which said cheaper Chinese imports had hurt its members’ businesses.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ International Trade Commission began an investigation in October last year and found that the dumping of Portland cement from China onto the Taiwanese market had damaged local cement producers, such as Taiwan Cement Corp (台灣水泥) and Asia Cement Corp (亞洲水泥).
Portland cement type I is suitable for buildings and roads, while the type II cement is used for reservoirs, piers and heavy retaining walls. Clinker is used to make cement.
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