And another ruling is coming this week.
We've got a bit of news from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today, which okayed duties on imports of cold-rolled steel flat products from China and Japan.
Last month, the Commerce Department announced anti-dumping duties of 266 percent on this product from China and 71 percent on this product from Japan, plus an additional countervailing duty of 266 percent on China.
Now, with the sign-off from the ITC, Commerce will finalize these tariffs.
China, as you would imagine, isn’t happy about this.
Said Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul:
Today is a win for American steelmakers, but it is a shame that so much damage has to be done before our manufacturers can secure a level playing field. During this investigation alone, over 15,000 steelworkers were told that they are losing their jobs. Thousands more have spent years fighting for their steel mills as China and Japan were allowed to take advantage of America’s market.
I wish all policy makers would spend time in our steel communities because it is easy to see that trade cases are the last line of defense for manufacturers who need Washington to fight for fair trade laws. Today came a little too late for many, but still sets a standard for fair enforcement that can prevent more job losses.
Some context: Politico notes the United States imported $514 billion worth of this kind of steel product from China and $143 billion from Japan in 2014.
COMING UP: The ITC will vote on the certain corrosion-resistant steel products trade case this Friday at 11 a.m. EDT.