KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 26): Malaysia has imposed anti-dumping duties of between 3.84% and 26.39% on iron or non-alloy steel-based cold rolled coils with a width of more than 1,300m imported from China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam to address unfair trade practices.

Malaysia's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said in a statement today the government decided to impose the final affirmative anti-dumping duties after concluding the anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of cold rolled coils.

"The Royal Malaysian Customs Department will enforce the collection of anti-dumping duties and this measure will be effective for five years, from Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 24, 2024. With the imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of subject merchandise from the alleged countries, it is expected that the issue of unfair trade practices will be addressed.

"The investigation was initiated by the Government of Malaysia in accordance with the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 and Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Regulation 1994 on March 29, 2019 based on a petition filed by Mycron Steel CRC Sdn Bhd on behalf of the domestic industry producing cold rolled coils. The petitioner alleged that subject merchandise from the alleged countries are being imported into Malaysia at a price lower than the selling price in their respective domestic markets, causing material injury to the domestic industry in Malaysia.

"The government has also made a final determination that the definitive anti-dumping duties will not be imposed on imports of tin mill black plate and subject merchandise for automotive and transformer's finwall end-usage," MITI said.

Cold rolled coils imported from Japan producers and exporters will be taxed the most at 26.39%, according to MITI, while cold rolled coils from South Korea will be taxed the least.

For South Korea, MITI said there are no anti-dumping duties on cold rolled coils produced by POSCO although cold rolled coils manufactured by other producers face a 3.84% duty.

On Vietnam, MITI said Malaysia, however, imposed a 7.7% duty on cold rolled coils produced by POSCO Vietnam Co Ltd while cold rolled coils manufactured by other producers are subjected to a 20.13% tax.

For China, MITI said cold rolled coils manufactured by Maanshan Iron and Steel Co Ltd face a 4.76% tax while those from Angang Steel Co Ltd are subjected to a 4.82% duty.

MITI said Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co Ltd-made cold rolled coils are taxed 8.74% while those made by other China manufacturers face a 26.38% duty.