US slaps more duties on China's aluminum exports

The US Department of Commerce said it would increase duties on aluminum extrusion imports from China by 59.31% to offset unfairly low prices, Reuters reported. The increase comes after other US countervailing duties on products, including aluminum extrusions, were introduced in August ranging from 6.18% to 137.65%. The US imported some US$500 million worth of China-made aluminum extrusions in 2009, for use in vehicles, boats, furniture, window and door frames and other goods. The duties provide another success for the United Steelworkers union, which has argued that China unfairly subsidizes its aluminum producers. The duties will also be a boon to US producers such as William L Bonnell, Hydro Aluminum North America, Kaiser Aluminum (KALU.NASDAQ) and Sapa Extrusions. The duties will add yet more tension to Sino-US trade relations, which have grown increasingly fractious since late 2009.