Trade War? Part II: China Initiates Third CVD Investigation Against U.S. Products 贸易战？(二)：中国针对第三项美国产品展开反补贴调查
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The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) announced on November 6, 2009 that it had launched anti-dumping (“AD”) and countervailing (“CVD”) investigations against sedans and sport utility vehicles of cylinder capacity ≥ 2000cc originating from the United States. We are providing on this blog an English translation of the CVD notice. This announcement represents the third CVD investigation initiated against U.S. products in less than six months. So far, Chinese investigations have targeted CVD investigations only against products originating from the United States.
According to the November 6 notice, MOFCOM will investigate 24 alleged subsidy programs, all identified as being provided by the U.S. Government. However, four of those alleged programs are tax incentives and other assistance provided by the state of Michigan, which in the U.S. federal system is a distinct sovereign and not part of the U.S. Government. ( In China, all regional and local governments are subordinate to the central government. In the U.S., the states have distinct powers and are not subordinate.)
China adopted its regulations on CVD investigations in October 2001, and the Regulations Of The People’s Republic Of China On Countervailing Measures entered into force at the beginning of 2002. However, China did not initiate its first CVD investigation until June 1, 2009.
The vocal U.S. steel industry was the first target of Chinese countermeasures. The product under investigation was grain-oriented flat-rolled electrical steel, and an Ohio company – the AK Steel Corporation – and a Pennsylvania producer – the ATI Allegheny Ludlum Corporation – were singled out as respondents.
Soon after President Obama imposed additional tariffs on Chinese commercial, low-cost tires as a China-specific safeguard measure, MOFCOM issued a press release saying it would review AD and CVD petitions against U.S. poultry products and cars. Many observers rushed to label this announcement as “retaliation.” However, both products have been the subject of trade disputes between China and the United States for a long time. Our previous article “Trade War?” analyzed the safeguard action and recent trade disputes between the two sides, querying whether China was retaliating in the opening salvo of a trade war. The initiation of investigations into U.S. automobiles may require an adjustment in our analysis. We expect to post soon an analytical article on China’s investigations of alleged U.S. subsidy programs, particularly as they refer to U.S. automobiles.
中国商务部于2009年11月6日正式宣布对原产于美国的排气量在2.0升及2.0升以上的进口小轿车和越野车展开反倾销、反补贴调查。 本所翻译并在此刊登该案反补贴立案调查公告英文版。不到六个月，这已经是第三起针对美国产品展开的反补贴调查。迄今为止原产于美国的产品是唯一在中国面临反补贴调查的产品。
11月6日的公告指出，中国商务部将调查24项美国政府补贴。但是，其中四项补贴指控的调查对象是米歇根州向汽车生产商提供的税收优惠以及其他资助。和中国的政治制度不同，在美国联邦体制中，州政府虽然是美国政府的一部分，但拥有特定权利、并不隶属于联邦政府。
中国早在2001年10月就通过了反补贴法规——《中华人民共和国反补贴条例》，这一条例于2002年1月1日正式生效。但是，直到今年6月1日中国才展开第一起反补贴调查。
美国钢铁企业首受其冲。受调查的产品是原产于美国的取向电工钢。（注：取向电工钢是电力工业行业不可缺少的一种软磁材料，主要应用于各种类型变压器、整流器、电抗器等行业。）俄亥俄州的AK Steel Corporation 以及宾西法尼亚州的 ATI Allegheny Ludlum Corporation 被选为应诉企业。
当奥巴马总统在421特保案中宣布对国产轮胎征收额外关税，中国商务部随即发表新闻公告，宣布将对部分美国汽车产品和肉鸡产品启动反倾销和反补贴立案审查程序。许多观察家立即指控这一举措为贸易报复。但是长期以来这些产品一直面临贸易摩擦。在《贸易战？》一文中，我们深入分析了轮胎特保案以及最近发生的其它贸易纠纷，探讨中国的这一举动是否是贸易大战的序幕。现在对美国汽车展开双反调查可能要求我们调整分析。我们计划最近再刊登一篇博文深入分析面临指控的美国政府补贴，尤其是针对美国汽车行业的补贴。
（翻译：朱晶）
