美國對中國鋼板做出雙反終裁

The US has paved the way for the imposition of duties of as much as 500 per cent on Chinese cold-rolled steel, used to make cars and washing machines, as a backlash escalates against a glut of Chinese steel flooding global Markets.

美國向着對中國冷軋鋼板徵收高達500%的關稅走近了一步。目前針對中國鋼材涌入全球市場的反彈出現升級。這類鋼板用於製造汽車和洗衣機等多種產品。

The US Department of Commerce said it had determined that imports of Chinese cold-rolled steel should be subject to anti-subsidy duties of 256.4 per cent and anti-dumping duties of 265.8 per cent.

美國商務部表示，已確定中國輸美的冷軋鋼板應該被徵收256.4%的反補貼稅和265.8%的反傾銷稅。

Those duties could come into effect as soon as this summer if a separate review determines that the imports have caused “injury” to the US steel industry.

如果另一項單獨進行的評估認定從中國進口的產品對美國鋼鐵行業造成“傷害”，這些關稅可能最快在今年夏天就生效。

The case is one of three big anti-dumping cases involving Chinese steel imports launched by the US steel industry, all of which are expected to climax in the coming months.

此案是美國鋼鐵行業發起的涉及從中國進口鋼材的三大反傾銷案之一，預計這些案子都將在未來幾個月內達到高潮。

Separately, US Steel, the country’s biggest producer, is seeking a total ban on Chinese imports as a result of hacking attacks in which it accuses China of stealing intellectual property.

另外，美國最大的生產商——美國鋼鐵公司(US Steel)指控中國對其發動黑客攻擊以竊取知識產權，並以此爲由尋求全面禁止從中國進口鋼材。

China’s Ministry of Commerce expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with the decision by the US, which it said had employed “unfair methods” in assessing the tariffs. But the US said none of China’s steel producers had responded to its request for their views on the anti-dumping case.

中國商務部對美國的決定表示“強烈不滿”，稱美方在評估關稅時使用了“不公正做法”。但美國表示，中國鋼鐵生產商沒有一家迴應了對這起反傾銷案發表意見的請求。

Chinese steel capacity has soared in the past decade to more than 1bn tonnes, sending surplus production flooding into international markets especially after domestic consumption peaked in 2013. Beijing routinely calls on the sector to cut capacity but at the same time it is unwilling to allow the failure of large mills, especially those of state-owned groups that are often the biggest employers, taxpayers and borrowers in their locality.

中國鋼鐵產能在過去10年裏飆升，目前達到10億噸以上，導致剩餘產品涌入國際市場，尤其是在國內消費於2013年見頂之後。北京方面經常呼籲該行業削減產能，但與此同時不願意讓大型鋼廠倒閉，特別是那些在當地往往是最大僱主、納稅人和借款人的國有集團。

Although imports of Chinese and other steel have been falling since 2014, the US steel industry has campaigning to have the government crack down on imports as global prices drop.

雖然美國從中國和其他國家的鋼材進口從2014年起呈現降勢，但隨着全球鋼材價格下降，美國鋼鐵行業一直在開展活動，要求政府打擊進口。

That has coincided with rising anti-China trade rhetoric in this year’s US presidential campaign with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, vowing to stand up to China and impose sweeping tariffs on its products if he is elected.

這恰逢今年美國總統競選期間反對美中貿易的論調不斷升高，共和黨假定被提名人唐納德•特朗普(Donald Trump)誓言，一旦當選將對抗中國，對中國輸美產品全面徵收關稅。

Stocks of beleaguered US steel producers surged when initial anti-dumping duties were announced in March. The final ruling involves higher anti-subsidy duties than the commerce department initially indicated.

今年3月宣佈最初的反傾銷稅後，陷入困境的美國鋼鐵生產商股價紛紛飆升。終裁認定的反補貼稅高於美國商務部的預估。

The hefty tariffs will harden Chinese negotiators’ desire to acquire “market economy status” at the end of this year, as outlined when China joined the World Trade Organisation 15 years ago. Market economy status would protect Chinese exports from being assessed on the basis of prices in third-party countries, which are often higher, and from being assessed for both anti-dumping and countervailing duties.

這些較高的關稅將強化中國談判者要求按照15年前中國加入世界貿易組織(WTO)時的約定，在今年底取得“市場經濟地位”的動力。市場經濟地位將保護中國出口產品不會按照第三國的價格受到評估（這些國家的價格往往更高），也不會受到反傾銷稅和反補貼稅的評估。

Pressure from the steel industry in the US and Europe has led to political opposition to automatically granting the status to China.

美國和歐洲鋼鐵行業的壓力，已導致美歐政界反對自動給予中國市場經濟地位。