June 17, 2018 - 16:22 BJT (08:22 GMT)   MOFCOM

In accordance with the Anti-dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Anti-dumping Regulations"), on October 30, 2017, the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Investigation Authority") issued Announcement No.67 of 2017, deciding to carry out anti-dumping investigation against imports of ethanolamines (or "EA", hereinafter referred to as the "Products under Investigation") originating in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The Investigation Authority has investigated into the existence of dumping and dumping margin, the existence of damage to China's domestic industry caused by the products under investigation and the extent of such damage, as well as the causal relationship between the dumping and the damage. The Investigation Authority has made a preliminary ruling (See the Annex) according to the investigation findings and Article 24 of the Anti-dumping Regulations. Relevant matters are hereby announced as follows:

I. Preliminary ruling

The Investigation Authority preliminarily ruled that there was dumping of EA originating in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand and the domestic EA industry was substantially damaged, and there was causal relationship between the dumping and the substantive damage.

II. Levying of margin

The Investigation Authority decides to carry out interim anti-dumping measures by levying margin according to Article 28 and Article 29 of the Anti-dumping Regulations. As of June 23, 2018, import operators shall pay relevant margin to the Customs of the People's Republic of China at the rate determined by this ruling for each company when importing the Products under Investigation.

Details of the Products under Investigation are as follows:

Scope of investigation: imports of EA originating in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Name of the Products under Investigation: 乙醇胺 (including: monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine); names in English: Ethanolamines, or EA in short.
一乙醇胺, also known as 单乙醇胺, 2-氨基乙醇 or 2-羟基乙胺

Names in English: Monoethanolamine, 2-Aminoethanol, 2-Aminoethyl alcoho (abbreviation: MEA)

Chemical formula: H2NCH2CH2OH
Structural formula:
二乙醇胺, also known as: 2,2'-二羟基二乙胺, 2,2'-亚氨基二乙醇

Names in English: Diethanolamine, 2, 2'-Dihydroxydiethylamine, 2,2'-Iminodiethanol (abbreviation: DEA)

Chemical formula: HN (CH2CH2OH) 2
Structural formula:
三乙醇胺, also known as 三(2-羟乙基)胺, 三羟基三乙胺

Names in English: Triethanolamine, Tris (2-Hydroxyethyl) amine, Trihydroxytriethylamine (abbreviation: TEA)

Chemical formula: (HOC2H4)3N
Structural formula:

Physical and chemical characteristics: EA is a general term of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine. It is usually produced by reacting ethylene oxide with liquid ammonia. It is an alcoholamine organic compound that has partial chemical properties of both amines and alcohols. The appearance of ethanolamine is usually colorless to light yellow transparent liquid. Below the melting point, it is colorless to faint yellow solid, slightly amine-like, hygroscopic, soluble in water, ethanol, etc. and slightly soluble in benzene, ether and so on.

Main purposes: EA is mainly used in the production of surfactants, pesticides and pharmaceutical intermediates, household chemicals and personal hygiene products. It is also used as a raw material to make emulsifiers, fluorescent whitening agent VBL, oil refining (acid) gas treatment agents, cement grinding aids, cutting fluids, water reducing agents, industrial antifreeze, petroleum additives, leather softeners, lubricants resistance corrosives, anti-coking additives, etc. It is widely used in industrial cleaning, gas purification, pesticides and pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, textile printing and dyeing, construction materials, metal processing and other industries.

The products are listed under tariff numbers of 29221100, 29221200 and 29221310 (altered to 29221500 since 2017) in the Customs Import and Export Tariff of the People's Republic of China. Monoethanolamine salt under 29221100 and diethanolamine salt under 29221200 fall beyond the scope of this investigation.

Rates of margin imposed on companies are as follows:

Companies of the United States:

1. The Dow Chemical Company 75.3%
2. INEOS Americas LLC 97.3%
3. Huntsman Petrochemical LLC 97.3%
4. All others 97.3%

Companies of Saudi Arabia:

1. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation 11.7%
2. All others 18.7%

Companies of Malaysia:

1. PETRONAS CHEMICALS DERIVATIVES SDN BHD 18.3%
2. All others 20.3%

Companies of Thailand:

1. TOC GLYCOL COMPANY LIMITED 37.6%
2. All others 37.6%

III. Methods on levying of margin

As of June 23, 2018, import operators shall pay relevant margin to the Customs of the People's Republic of China according to the dumping margin determined by this ruling for each company when importing EA originating in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand. The margin is levied by means of ad valorem on the basis of dutiable value authorized by China Customs, and the formula is: margin = (dutiable value authorized by the Customs * levying rate)* (1+ import value-added tax rate).

IV. Comments

An interested party may submit written comments to the Investigation Authority within 10 days from the promulgation date hereof.

Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
June 16, 2018