Vietnam criticizes US anti-dumping decision

Apr 21, 2010, 6:10 GMT

Hanoi - Vietnam on Wednesday criticized the United States' decision to impose heavy tariffs on imported Vietnamese plastic bags.

The US Department of Commerce issued a final ruling last week that will impose anti-dumping duties of between 53 and 76 per cent, as well as anti-subsidy duties of between 1 and 52 per cent, on Vietnamese polyethylene bags.

'It is a completely unfair decision,' said Nguyen Thanh Bien, Vietnam's deputy minister of trade and industry.

Nguyen Van Quang, director of the Phuong Anh Plastic Company in Hanoi, said that while producers may receive some subsidies, the amounts found by the US were too high.

'There may be some producers exporting a large quantity of polyethylene bags, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry may give them some compensation, but not much,' Quang said.

The 52-per-cent anti-subsidy tariff applies only to one company, Advance Polybag. Other Vietnamese plastic bag manufacturers will pay anti-subsidy rates of 5 per cent.

Some 16 manufacturers are to face anti-dumping tariffs of 53 per cent, all others 76 per cent. Customs officers are to begin collecting the tariffs after the US International Trade Commission determines the effect the imports have had on the US market, which is expected in May.

Similar tariffs on plastic bags are been imposed on Taiwan and Indonesia. The findings stem from complaints filed in March 2009 by two US plastic bag manufacturers.

Vietnam's plastic bag exports to the US were valued at 43 million dollars last year, compared with 79 million dollars in 2008.