The Australian government initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the imports of Chinese aluminium earlier this year, a move that some experts say has only added fuel to the fire of tension between the two countries.
According to the records of the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission, the investigation is not a retaliation for the People’s Republic of China’s imposition of an 80.5-percent tariff on imports of Australia’s barley. The tariff is alleged to be itself a retaliation against Australia’s demand for an investigation of the origins of the COVID-19 virus by independent fact finders.
The Australian Anti-Dumping Commission began its investigation in February, according to records, examining the sale of aluminium micro-extrusion and determining whether Chinese importers were manipulating prices in order to gain an unfair advantage. The investigation targeted two firms specifically – Guangdong Jiangshen Aluminium and Guangdong Zhongya Aluminium.
Domestic firm Aluminium Shapemakers, which is active in the industry, indicated to the government that demand for aluminium microextrusions has risen over the past several years, but their sales volumes have not thanks to dumping of Chinese products into the Australian economy.
Several other Australian aluminium micro-extruders joined in the complaint, which did not accuse importers from several other countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The filing was joined by a separate complaint by Capral Limited that sought to extend measures already in place to prevent such dumping.
Imported aluminium micro-extrusions are one of three major import categories that are now under investigation by the Australian government. Earlier this year the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission launched investigations into precision pipe and tube steel from China, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam the following month. In April the commission initiated an investigation into imports of A4 paper from Brazil, China, Indonesia, and Thailand. Both of these investigations were made in response to allegations of importers undercutting domestic producers as well.