U.S. Department of Commerce Announces New Trade Orders on Corrugated Boxes from China
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Washington, D.C. – On March 16, 2026, the United States Department of Commerce issued important announcements about trade with China. The Department has decided to place new duties on certain products from China. These products are polypropylene corrugated boxes. These boxes are special because they are strong and lightweight. They are made using a special plastic called polypropylene.
The government took this step after investigations showed something concerning. Some companies in China have been selling these boxes in the U.S. at unfair prices. These prices are lower than what they sell for in China. This is called “dumping” and it can hurt U.S. companies. The U.S. International Trade Commission found that this practice is hurting American businesses.
As a result, the Commerce Department is issuing two types of orders. There are antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders. Antidumping duty means the U.S. will charge extra money on these imported boxes. This makes the price fairer for U.S. businesses. Countervailing duty means there will be an extra charge on goods that are unfairly subsidized by China’s government. Subsidies are like financial help which lowers production costs in China.
The orders say that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will collect these extra charges. They will collect on all such boxes entering the U.S. from China starting from March 16, 2026. For antidumping duties, they will be checking sales from August 28, 2025. They noted that imports of these boxes from China hurt U.S. industries.
These new rules also state the estimated dumping margins. This is how much lower the Chinese prices are compared to fair market prices. For these boxes, the margin is 83.64 percent, which will lead to a cash deposit rate of 82.21 percent.
For countervailing duties, the separate subsidy rate is set at 62.27 percent. This applies to various Chinese companies listed by the department.
The decision to put these orders in place follows laws that protect U.S. industries. These laws are from the Tariff Act of 1930. The Department of Commerce wants to make sure U.S. industries are fair and competitive.
The government also wants anyone interested in these developments to keep up with updates. Businesses and individuals need to check a special list. This list is called the Annual Inquiry Service List. It’s updated every year to include people who are affected or interested.
This decision is part of the U.S. government’s larger efforts to ensure a fair and competitive market. It seeks to protect American jobs and industries from unfair foreign pricing practices.
For more detailed information, businesses can contact Dan Alexander or Rachel Accorsi at the Department of Commerce. They are in charge of AD and CVD Operations. Their contact numbers are listed in the official announcement.
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