June 17, 2018 - 16:14 BJT (08:14 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 16, 2017, the Ministry of Commerce (hereinafter referred to as the "Investigation Authority") issued Announcement No.62 of 2017, deciding to carry out anti-dumping investigation against imports of hydriodic acid ("HI") originating in the United States and Japan.

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 HI originating in the United States and Japan and the domestic HI 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 HI originated in the United States and Japan.

Name of the Products under Investigation: 氢碘酸, or 碘化氢.
Names in English: Hydriodic Acid, Hydroiodic Acid or Hydrogen Iodide, or HI in short.

Chemical formula:HI.
Chemical structural formula:

Description: hydriodic acid is aqueous solution of hydrogen iodide; fresh hydriodic acid is colorless or light yellow liquid, and brown after quickly dissolving out iodine in the air and sunlight. The molecular weight is 127.91, and the boiling point is between 100℃ and 130℃ at atmospheric pressure. The melting point ranges from -50.8℃ to 0℃.With strong corrosion resistance and strong reducibility, hydroiodic acid diluted will produce flammable hydrogen with many metals (including aluminum, zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, tin and all alkali metals) and produce metal hydroxide with hydroxide, carbonate and salt thereof.

Main purposes: it is mainly used in the synthesis of acetic acid catalyst, the preparation of iodide, reduction of graphene oxide, integration of circuit etching agent, chemical and pharmaceutical intermediates, disinfectants, raw materials, analytical reagents of dyes and spices, etc.It is an important reducing agent in organic chemistry.

The product is listed under tariff number of 28111990 in the Customs Import and Export Tariff of the People’s Republic of China. Products other than HI under the above tariff number fall beyond the scope of the Products under Investigation.

Rates of margin imposed on companies are as follows:

Companies of the United States:

1. Iofina Chemical, Inc. 118.8%
2. All others 118.8%
Japanese companies: 41.1%

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 HI originating in the United States and Japan. 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