U.S. Finds China Gave Illegal Subsidies on Float Glass Products

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On February 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its final ruling in a high-profile trade case.

After investigation, the department found that the government of China gave unfair subsidies to Chinese makers and sellers of float glass products. These subsidies give Chinese companies an unfair edge when selling goods into the U.S. market.

The review covered the time from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

The Department of Commerce worked under the law called the Tariff Act of 1930. This law allows the U.S. to place extra duties on products if it finds other countries use subsidies to help exports unfairly.

Commerce looked into claims and reviewed many subsidy programs. These programs included low-cost government loans, land-use programs, and tax benefits believed to help companies in China.

One major company investigated was Xinyi Group (Glass) Company Limited, also called Xinyi HK. It reported using some of the subsidy programs being reviewed.

Xinyi HK also had 13 related companies that Commerce found to be “cross-owned.” This means those companies share control or profit with Xinyi HK. These companies are:

  • 1. Xinyi Special Glass (Jiangmen) Company Limited
  • 2. Xinyi Glass (Chongqing) Company Limited
  • 3. Xinyi Glass Guangxi Company Limited
  • 4. Xinyi Ultrathin Glass (Dongguan) Co., Ltd
  • 5. Xinyi Electronic Glass (Wuhu) Co., Ltd.
  • 6. Xinyi Glass (Hainan) Co., Ltd.
  • 7. Xinyi Glass (Yingkou) Co., Ltd.
  • 8. Xinyi Energy Smart (Sichuan) Co., Ltd
  • 9. Xinyi Glass (Wuhu) Company Limited
  • 10. Xinyi Glass (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
  • 11. Xinyi Glass (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
  • 12. Xinyi Glass Engineering (Dongguan) Co., Ltd.
  • 13. Xinyi Glass (Bozhou) Co., Ltd.

The Department held meetings with Xinyi HK to check its records. It reviewed accounting and source records in June 2025. The findings were verified in a memorandum dated September 17, 2025.

The Department found that the subsidy rate for Xinyi HK is 19.75%.

Another company, Shandong Jinjing Science and Technology Stock Co., Ltd., did not fully give requested data. So Commerce used adverse facts available, or AFA. Based on this, the Department calculated a subsidy rate for Shandong Jinjing of 113.34%.

Two other companies also got the same AFA rate of 113.34%:

  • Hubei Sanxia New Building Materials Co., Ltd.
  • Shanghai Yaohua Pilkington Glass Group Co., Ltd. (SYP).

For all other companies, the rate is 19.75%. This is the same as the rate for Xinyi HK, the only company to fully cooperate.

The Department also looked at the scope of the products. The final scope includes products such as:

  • Float glass made by floating molten glass over a tin bath
  • Glass that is at least 2.0 mm thick and at least 0.37 square meters in surface
  • Coated float glass, stained or tinted glass
  • Laminated glass units
  • Some LED mirrors
  • Glass shower doors

Some goods are excluded, such as:

  • Wired glass
  • Patterned glass meeting ASTM-C1036 Type II
  • Products already covered by other U.S. trade duty orders

The Department collected public comments on which products should be included. It made slight changes to the product list in the final decision.

Commerce also faced delays in the timetable. A government shutdown in late 2025 caused a 68-day delay in this case.

With this announcement, the case now moves to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC has 45 days to decide whether these unfair imports hurt U.S. companies.

If the ITC agrees that harm occurred, Commerce will issue a formal duty order. Then U.S. Customs will restart collecting extra fees on incoming float glass products from China.

However, if the ITC finds no harm or no threat, the case will be dropped. Any money collected at the border so far will be returned.

Commerce noted that all public and private information collected during the case is now available through its online portal, ACCESS.

The announcement serves as a reminder to all parties that sensitive data shared during the case must now be returned or destroyed. Users under an Administrative Protective Order (APO) must follow legal rules to handle this information properly.

This decision was signed by Christopher Abbott, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, on February 3, 2026.


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