US–China Trade Daily Highlights | 2026-03-25
1) Executive Summary
Today’s briefing covers four trade remedy actions published by the U.S. Department of Commerce (International Trade Administration). All actions involve antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) proceedings. Key instruments include preliminary and final determinations, circumvention initiations, and enforcement of liquidation and cash deposit requirements. One circumvention inquiry explicitly concerns Chinese-origin steel inputs routed through Indonesia.
2) Updates by Authority
Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
High Purity Dissolving Pulp from Brazil — Countervailing Duty (Preliminary Determination)
The Department of Commerce preliminarily determined that producers and exporters of high purity dissolving pulp from Brazil receive countervailable subsidies. The investigation covers the 2024 calendar year. The individually examined respondent, Bracell Bahia Specialty Cellulose S.A., received a preliminary subsidy rate of 3.67 percent, which also serves as the “all others” rate. Commerce aligned the final countervailing duty determination with the forthcoming final antidumping duty decision for the same product.
– Authority: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
– Policy Type: AD/CVD
– Event Type: Preliminary determination
– Key dates: Published March 25, 2026; final determination expected by August 3, 2026
– Key identifiers: C-351-867
– China Indicator: None
– Link: Source
Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh — AD/CVD (Final Determination of Circumvention)
Commerce issued a final affirmative determination that imports of certain low-carbon steel wire produced in Mexico and completed into standard steel welded wire mesh in the United States circumvent the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on welded wire mesh from Mexico. The determination applies on a country-wide basis, finding circumvention by Deacero S.A.P.I. de C.V. but not by Impulsora del Alambre S.A. de C.V. Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation and collect cash deposits for relevant entries after specified dates. Importer certification and documentation requirements are established for compliance.
– Authority: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
– Policy Type: AD/CVD
– Event Type: Final determination (circumvention)
– Key identifiers: A-201-853, C-201-854
– Key date: Applicable March 25, 2026
– China Indicator: None
– Link: Source
Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from Vietnam — AD/CVD (Initiation of Circumvention Inquiry)
Commerce initiated a country-wide circumvention inquiry to determine whether imports of certain corrosion-resistant steel products (CORE) completed in Indonesia using cold-rolled steel manufactured in Vietnam are evading the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on CORE from Vietnam. The request was filed by Steel Dynamics Inc. and Nucor Corporation. The inquiry will evaluate whether production in Indonesia is minor or insignificant under section 781(b) of the Tariff Act.
– Authority: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
– Policy Type: AD/CVD
– Event Type: Initiation of circumvention inquiry
– Key date: Applicable March 25, 2026
– China Indicator: None
– Key identifiers: A-552-843, C-552-844
– Link: Source
Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from China — AD/CVD (Initiation of Circumvention Inquiry)
Commerce initiated a separate country-wide circumvention inquiry to assess whether corrosion-resistant steel completed in Indonesia using Chinese-origin hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel is circumventing the AD/CVD orders on corrosion-resistant steel from China. The request by Steel Dynamics Inc. and Nucor Corporation asserts that Indonesian processing operations are minor and use Chinese steel inputs. Respondent selection will be based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, and entries remain subject to liquidation suspension under the orders.
– Authority: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
– Policy Type: AD/CVD
– Event Type: Initiation of circumvention inquiry
– Key identifiers: A-570-026, C-570-027
– Key date: Applicable March 25, 2026
– China Indicator: Explicit
– Link: Source
3) Key Takeaways (Factual)
– Commerce published one preliminary subsidy determination (Brazil) and one final circumvention finding (Mexico) alongside two new circumvention inquires (China- and Vietnam-origin inputs via Indonesia).
– Both new circumvention inquiries allege that Indonesian processing of third-country materials may evade existing AD/CVD orders.
– The steel-related cases reflect continued monitoring of supply chain redirection through Southeast Asia.
– The Mexican determination introduces importer certification requirements tied to liquidation suspension and cash deposit obligations.
– All actions are aligned with established Commerce procedures under section 781 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and related regulations (19 CFR 351.226).
4) Full Source Links (Index)
– High Purity Dissolving Pulp from Brazil — Preliminary CVD Determination
– Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico — Final Circumvention Determination
– Corrosion-Resistant Steel from Vietnam — Circumvention Inquiry Initiation
– Corrosion-Resistant Steel from China — Circumvention Inquiry Initiation
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.
