US trade officials praised China Tuesday for scrapping an antidumping duties order on US-produced Kraft linerboard, a paper product used to make corrugated boxes. The decision was made Monday as the US threatened to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization over China’s unclear and inconsistent investigative methods. Chinese companies have 15 days to appeal the commerce ministry’s ruling. Separately US Senator Max Baucus, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, warned officials Tuesday during a speech in Beijing that China risked a protectionist backlash in Washington if it didn’t take steps to cut its US$200 billion US trade surplus.