US–China Trade Daily Hightlights | 2026-08-31

1) Executive Summary

Today’s brief covers 5 events involving the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The ITA issued final affirmative determinations in the antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on van-type trailers and subassemblies from China and published a court-related notice amending AD results for steel pipe from the UAE. OFAC announced SDN List removals and new listings under Executive Order 13224. Key instruments include AD/CVD determinations, court-driven amended results, and sanctions listings.

2) Updates by Authority

Department of Commerce (International Trade Administration)

Van-type trailers and subassemblies (China) — AD/CVD (Final determination – AD)

The Department of Commerce determined that van-type trailers and subassemblies from the People’s Republic of China are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value for the period April 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025. Commerce made no changes to its preliminary margin calculations and continued the suspension of liquidation from June 15, 2026.

  • Authority: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, International Trade Administration
  • Policy Type: AD_CVD
  • Event Type: TRADE_REMEDY
  • China Indicator: EXPLICIT
  • Investigation No.: A-570-219
  • Final weighted-average dumping margin: China-wide entity 130.86% (cash deposit rate adjusted for export subsidy offset: 129.73%)
  • Applicable date: August 31, 2026
  • POI: April 1, 2025–September 30, 2025
  • Suspension of liquidation continued from June 15, 2026 (preliminary determination publication date)
  • Third-country entry reporting (Canada): A-122-219 (for entries via Canada; only the Chinese subassembly portion subject to China AD duties as described)
  • ITC injury determination due no later than 45 days after this final determination
  • Source:

Van-type trailers and subassemblies (China) — AD_CVD (Final determination – CVD)

The Department of Commerce issued a final affirmative countervailing duty determination on van-type trailers and subassemblies from China for the period January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Following the withdrawal of participation by the sole mandatory respondent (CIMC), Commerce applied total adverse facts available (AFA) and assigned the same AFA-based rate to all others.

  • Authority: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, International Trade Administration
  • Policy Type: AD_CVD
  • Event Type: TRADE_REMEDY
  • China Indicator: EXPLICIT
  • Investigation No.: C-570-218
  • Final subsidy rates (percent ad valorem): CIMC Baowell Industries Co., Ltd. and Qingdao CIMC Reefer Trailer Co., Ltd.: 134.75 (AFA); Non-Responsive Companies: 134.75 (AFA); All Others: 134.75
  • Applicable date: August 31, 2026
  • POI: January 1, 2024–December 31, 2024
  • Suspension of liquidation and cash deposits: effective June 5, 2026 (preliminary determination publication date)
  • Third-country entry reporting (Canada): C-122-218 (for entries via Canada; only the Chinese subassembly portion subject to China CVD as described)
  • ITC injury determination to follow within 45 days of this final determination
  • Source:

Circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe (UAE) — AD/CVD (CIT decision; amended final results)

The U.S. Court of International Trade issued a final judgment on August 19, 2026, sustaining Commerce’s second remand results in the 2020–2021 AD administrative review of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from the United Arab Emirates. Commerce is amending the final results for Universal Tube and Plastic Industries, Ltd.; THL Tube and Pipe Industries LLC; and KHK Scaffolding and Formwork LLC, revising the weighted-average dumping margin from 2.63% to 3.64%.

Department of the Treasury (Office of Foreign Assets Control)

SDN updates — Sanctions listing/unlisting (Sanctions actions under E.O. 13224)

OFAC announced removals from, and additions to, the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886. Unblocked parties were removed from the SDN List, while newly designated persons were added; property and interests in property of designated persons within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transactions with them.

  • Authority: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, Office of Foreign Assets Control
  • Policy Type: SANCTIONS_LISTING
  • Event Type: SANCTIONS
  • Legal basis: Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886
  • Action dates: August 24, 2026 (unblocking/removals); additional listings announced same notice
  • Source:

SDN designations — Palestine Action; Masar Badil; associated persons (Sanctions designations under E.O. 13224)

OFAC designated entities and individuals under Executive Order 13224, as amended, including Palestine Action, Autistici Inventati, and Masar Badil, as well as specified individuals linked to Masar Badil. As a result, all property and interests in property of these persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealings with them.

3) Key Takeaways (Factual)

  • Commerce issued final affirmative AD and CVD determinations on van-type trailers and subassemblies from China, with AFA-based rates and continued suspension of liquidation from the preliminary determination dates.
  • The AD determination covered POI April–September 2025; the CVD determination covered calendar year 2024.
  • Commerce established third-country case numbers in ACE for entries via Canada related to Chinese subassemblies for both AD (A-122-219) and CVD (C-122-218).
  • The ITC’s final injury determinations for the van-type trailers cases are due within 45 days of Commerce’s final determinations.
  • OFAC updated the SDN List by both removing and newly designating persons under E.O. 13224, resulting in blocked property for designated parties.

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.