*EPF311 11/10/2004
Chinese Bedroom Furniture Dumped on U.S. Market, Commerce Says
(But proposed dumping margins reduced for 65 percent of imports) (450)

Washington -- The U.S. Department of Commerce made a final determination that imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China are being dumped on the U.S. market, but it lowered its original estimate of some dumping margins.

In a November 9 determination, the Commerce Department calculated dumping margins ranging from 0.79 percent to 198.08 percent. The top rate remains unchanged from the department's preliminary determination made in June, but the department decided that 115 companies qualify for a "separate rate" of 8.64 percent. Those companies account for 65 percent of Chinese wooden bedroom furniture imports, according to the department.

The separate rate was set for companies that demonstrated the Chinese government does not control their export activities, Commerce said.

U.S. imports of bedroom furniture from China amounted to $1.2 billion in 2003, a 48 percent share of such imports, up from $817.3 million in 2002, a 40 percent share.

Imposition of anti-dumping duties equal to the dumping margins requires final affirmative determinations both from the Commerce Department that dumping occurred and from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that the imports injured or threatened U.S. industry.

The USITC's final determination is expected no later than December 23. If the USITC finds injury or threat of injury to U.S. industry, the Commerce Department will issue an anti-dumping order and instruct customs agents to collect cash deposits on subject imports at the applicable rate.

Following are the final dumping margins:

-- Dongguan Lung Dong Furniture Co. Ltd. and Dongguan Dong He Furniture Co. Ltd (Dongguan Lung Dong), 2.22 percent.
-- Rui Feng Woodwork Co., Ltd., Rui Feng Lumber Development Co. Ltd., and Dorbest Ltd. (Dorbest Group), 16.70 percent.
-- Lacquer Craft Manufacturing Company Ltd. (Lacquer Craft), 6.95 percent.
-- Markor International Furniture (Tianjin) Manufacture Co. Ltd. (Markor Tianjin), 0.79 percent.
-- Shing Mark Enterprise Co. Ltd., Carven Industries Limited (BVI), Carven Industries Limited (HK), Dongguan Zhenzin Furniture Co. Ltd., and Dongguan Yongpeng Furniture Co. Ltd. (Shing Mark), 5.07 percent.
-- Starcorp Furniture (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Orin Furniture (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., and Shanghai Starcorp Furniture Co. Ltd. (Starcorp), 15.24 percent.
-- Tech Lane Wood Manufacturing and Kee Jia Wood Manufacturing (Tech Lane), 198.08 percent.
-- Section A Respondents (Separate Rates), 8.64 percent.
-- China-wide, 198.08 percent.

Dumping is the import of goods at a price below the home-market or a third-country price or below the cost of production. A dumping margin represents by how much the fair-value price exceeds the dumped price.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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