US–China Trade Daily Highlights | 2026-01-22

1) Executive Summary

Today’s daily briefing covers seven trade remedy updates issued by U.S. authorities on January 22, 2026. The principal agencies involved are the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The measures include antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) determinations, as well as a Section 337 enforcement proceeding. The covered products include polypropylene corrugated boxes, hardwood and decorative plywood, fiberglass door panels, and L-lysine. Policy instruments addressed today consist of affirmative preliminary and final determinations, subsidy calculations, cash deposit requirements, and a formal ITC enforcement action.

2) Updates by Authority

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION (ITC – U.S. International Trade Commission)

Pre-Stretched Synthetic Braiding Hair — Section 337 Enforcement Proceeding (Institution)
The ITC has instituted a formal enforcement proceeding regarding compliance with a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders issued on September 29, 2025, in the investigation Certain Pre-Stretched Synthetic Braiding Hair and Packaging Therefor. The action concerns alleged violations by Vivace Inc. of Port Washington, NY, a defaulting respondent, relating to potential continued importation or sale of infringing goods.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE – INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION

Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes — Countervailing Duty (Final Affirmative Determination)
Commerce determined that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of polypropylene corrugated boxes from China. The final subsidy rate for all exporters was set at 62.27 percent ad valorem, based on adverse facts available due to non-cooperation by respondents.

Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes — Antidumping Duty (Final Affirmative Determination)
Commerce found that polypropylene corrugated boxes from China are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value at a margin of 83.64 percent, adjusted for subsidy offsets. This determination covers all Chinese producers and exporters as part of the China-wide entity.

L-Lysine — Countervailing Duty (Preliminary Affirmative Determination)
Commerce preliminarily determined that L-lysine from China received countervailable subsidies. The primary company, Inner Mongolia Eppen Biotech Co., Ltd., was assigned a subsidy rate of 39.50 percent, while others relying on adverse facts available were assigned 80.37 percent. The final CVD determination will be aligned with the companion AD investigation.

  • Authority: Department of Commerce, ITA
  • Policy Type: Countervailing Duty (CVD)
  • Event Type: Preliminary Determination
  • China Indicator: Explicit
  • Key identifiers: Case C-570-216
  • Key date: Preliminary determination effective January 22, 2026
  • Source: L-Lysine from China – Preliminary CVD Determination

Fiberglass Door Panels — Antidumping Duty (Preliminary Affirmative Determination)
Commerce preliminarily found that fiberglass door panels from China are being sold at less than fair value, with dumping margins ranging from 38.78 to 147.85 percent. The investigation covers Chinese producers including Dalian Capstone Engineering and Jiangxi Fangda Tech Co., Ltd. The final determination was postponed and provisional measures extended.

Hardwood and Decorative Plywood — Countervailing Duty (Preliminary Affirmative Determination)
Commerce preliminarily found that Chinese producers and exporters of hardwood and decorative plywood benefited from countervailable subsidies, with an 81.34 percent ad valorem rate based on facts available. The determination also found affirmative critical circumstances, applying duties retroactively by 90 days. Final determination will align with the related AD investigation.

Hardwood and Decorative Plywood — Countervailing Duty (Preliminary Determinations on Indonesia and Vietnam)
Although not China-specific, Commerce issued concurrent preliminary affirmative determinations involving Indonesia and Vietnam, both aligned with the corresponding antidumping investigations. The Vietnam notice acknowledges product overlap and scope consistency discussions with the China case.

3) Key Takeaways (Factual)

  • The Department of Commerce issued multiple AD and CVD determinations, notably on polypropylene corrugated boxes, L-lysine, fiberglass door panels, and hardwood plywood from China.
  • Subsidy and dumping margins for covered Chinese commodities range from about 39 percent to 147 percent.
  • The ITC initiated a formal enforcement proceeding under Section 337, emphasizing ongoing scrutiny of post-order compliance.
  • Several determinations were aligned with companion investigations, ensuring synchronized final decisions for AD and CVD measures.
  • Commerce invoked adverse facts available (AFA) in multiple cases where Chinese respondents or governments did not cooperate.

4) Full Source Links (Index)

5) Legal Disclaimer

This article includes content collected and summarized from publicly available U.S. government materials, including the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content presented is not an official government publication and does not represent the views of any U.S. government authority.

This article is provided for informational and research purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, compliance advice, or recommendations for any specific entity or transaction. Readers should refer to the original official documents and consult qualified professionals before making decisions based on this information.