US commerce dept. probes Vietnamese steel pipe imports

The U.S. Department of Commerce has begun an investigation to determine if trade remedy taxes have been avoided in importing made-in-Vietnam steel pipes.

According to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam, the pipe products under DOC investigation are mainly those coded HS 7306.61 and 7306.30,

The American plaintiffs include steel pipe manufacturers like Nucor Corporation, Bull Moose Tube, and Maruichi Steel Corporation. They have accused Vietnam of importing hot rolled steel (HRS), the main raw material used to make steel pipes, from mainland China, India, South Korea and Taiwan, to produce steel pipes shipped to the U.S. market.

The U.S. has already imposed trade remedy taxes on steel pipe imports from mainland China, India, South Korea and Taiwan.

Under U.S. law, relevant parties have 30 days from the date the probe starts to submit comments and provide counter-information to U.S. investigators.

The Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam has urged domestic exporters to do as requested, and work with the agency during the investigation.