China Extends Anti-Dumping Investigation on Taiwanese Polycarbonate "Until May Next Year"

Taiwan: "China Interferes in Our Elections Through Economic Coercion"

China has extended its investigation into whether Taiwan's trade barriers exist and also prolonged its anti-dumping investigation on Taiwan-made polycarbonate (PC) products. Analysts interpret this as a strategy by China to exert economic pressure to sway public opinion against Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), thereby steering the Taiwanese presidential election in China's favor.

According to local media including Global Times on the 11th, China's Ministry of Commerce announced, "The anti-dumping investigation on Taiwan-made PC products will be extended for six months until May 29 next year."

The photo is unrelated to the article content. [Image source=Pixabay]

Previously, on November 30 last year, the Ministry of Commerce stated that "five Chinese companies suffered losses due to the dumping offensive of Taiwanese PC products and filed complaints," and considering the complex situation, it initiated the anti-dumping investigation on Taiwan-made PC products. According to China's anti-dumping regulations, the investigation period is 12 months, and it was originally scheduled to end at the end of this month. However, even with an extension, the period cannot exceed six months, so a conclusion must be reached by the end of May next year in some form.

In August, the Ministry of Commerce preliminarily found a causal relationship between the dumping offensive by Taiwanese companies and the actual damage to the Chinese domestic industry, imposing anti-dumping tariffs of up to 22.4% on some Taiwanese PC products. This occurred when Han Kuo-yu, the DPP's presidential candidate and Taiwan's Vice President, was visiting Paraguay via the United States.

There were speculations that China's measures might be retaliation against Han Kuo-yu's actions. Chen Chien-jen, Taiwan's Premier (equivalent to Prime Minister), criticized China's imposition of anti-dumping tariffs, saying, "It does not help cross-strait trade and is very unfair to Taiwanese businesspeople."

In April, China's Ministry of Commerce announced it would investigate by October 12 whether Taiwan's import restrictions on 2,455 Chinese products constitute trade barriers, later extending the investigation period by three months until January 12 next year, one day before Taiwan's presidential election.

Regarding China's recent actions, Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations stated, "Extending the period until the day before the presidential election shows that China's investigation is politically motivated and an attempt to interfere in our election through economic coercion," and criticized, "Do not politicize trade issues."