US–China Trade Daily Hightlights | 2026-09-28
1) Executive Summary
– Today’s briefing covers 2 U.S.–China trade-related actions. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is the authority involved. Policy instruments include antidumping and countervailing duty procedures and a Section 337 intellectual property investigation. Actions concern tin mill products from China, Taiwan, and Turkey, and powered rocker- and glider-recliner mechanisms and seating units.
2) Updates by Authority
ITC (U.S. International Trade Commission)
Headline (one line, bold):
Tin mill products — AD/CVD (Final phase scheduling)
Summary:
The ITC announced scheduling of the final phase of countervailing and antidumping duty investigations Nos. 701-TA-792 and 731-TA-1786–1788 on tin mill products from China, Taiwan, and Turkey. The final phase will determine whether a U.S. industry is materially injured or threatened, or the establishment of an industry is materially retarded, by reason of imports preliminarily found by the Department of Commerce to be subsidized and sold at less than fair value from China; Commerce’s preliminary less-than-fair-value determinations for Taiwan and Turkey are pending. The scope covers tin mill flat-rolled products coated with tin, chromium, or chromium oxides, with a specific exclusion for certain single-reduced electrolytically chromium-coated steel tape.
Key Details:
– Authority: INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
– Policy Type: AD_CVD
– Event Type: TRADE_REMEDY
– China Indicator: EXPLICIT
– Investigation Nos.: 701-TA-792; 731-TA-1786–1788 (Final)
– Key dates: DATES: September 21, 2026; Prehearing staff report November 18, 2026; Hearing December 4, 2026; Requests to appear due November 25, 2026; Prehearing briefs due November 27, 2026; Posthearing briefs due December 11, 2026; Release of information December 28, 2026; Final comments due December 30, 2026.
– Scope note: Tin mill flat-rolled products coated with tin, chromium, or chromium oxides; certain steel tape excluded as specified.
Headline (one line, bold):
Powered rocker- and glider-recliner mechanisms — Section 337 (Investigation instituted)
Summary:
The ITC instituted Investigation No. 337-TA-1524 based on a complaint by Ultra-Mek, Incorporated; Leggett & Platt, Incorporated; and L&P Property Management Company alleging infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 8,398,165; 8,398,168; 8,016,348; and 8,297,693 by certain powered rocker-recliner and glider-recliner mechanisms and seating units containing the same. The complainants request a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders. Named respondents include entities in China and other jurisdictions; the Office of Unfair Import Investigations will not participate.
Key Details:
– Authority: INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
– Policy Type: ITC_337
– Event Type: TRADE_REMEDY
– China Indicator: EXPLICIT
– Investigation No.: 337-TA-1524
– Accused products: Powered glider-recliner mechanisms; powered rocker-recliner mechanisms; finished seating units incorporating those mechanisms.
– Patents/claims at issue: ’165 patent (claims 1–7, 15–18); ’168 patent (claims 1–7, 15–18); ’348 patent (claims 1–4, 6–9); ’693 patent (claims 1–7, 11–14).
– Complainants: Ultra-Mek, Incorporated; Leggett & Platt, Incorporated; L&P Property Management Company.
– Selected respondents: Jiangsu Carya Smart Home Hardware Co., Ltd.; Henglin Home Furnishings Co., Ltd.; and others listed in the notice.
– Key dates: Complaint filed August 21, 2026; supplements filed September 9 and 10, 2026; investigation instituted September 22, 2026; respondent responses due 20 days after service.
3) Key Takeaways (Factual)
– The ITC scheduled the final phase of AD/CVD investigations into tin mill products from China, Taiwan, and Turkey, with a hearing set for December 4, 2026, and multiple filing deadlines in November–December 2026.
– Commerce has preliminarily determined subsidization and sales at less than fair value for tin mill products from China; preliminary less-than-fair-value determinations for Taiwan and Turkey are pending.
– The ITC instituted Section 337 Investigation No. 337-TA-1524 on powered rocker- and glider-recliner mechanisms and seating units based on alleged infringement of four U.S. patents.
– Respondents in the Section 337 case include companies in China, among others, and complainants seek a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.
– The Office of Unfair Import Investigations will not participate in the Section 337 investigation.
4) Full Source Links (Index)
– https://lawyerfanzhang.com/tin-mill-products-from-china-taiwan-and-turkey-scheduling-of-the-final-phase-of-countervailing-duty-and-antidumping-duty-investigations/ (Tin mill products — AD/CVD scheduling)
– https://lawyerfanzhang.com/certain-powered-rocker-recliner-and-glider-recliner-mechanisms-and-seating-units-containing-same-notice-of-institution-of-investigation/ (Powered recliner mechanisms — Sec. 337 institution)
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.
