US to probe if plywood imports from Vietnam circumvent duties on Chinese goods

The US Commerce Department on Wednesday said it would examine whether hardwood plywood imports completed in Vietnam using Chinese components are circumventing US duties on imports from China in a move that could see Vietnamese imports facing similar duties.

In a statement, Commerce said it was initiating the inquiries in response to requests from the Coalition for Fair Trade in Hardwood Plywood, which represents an array of US plywood makers in North Carolina and Oregon.

If the probe shows Vietnamese producers were circumventing existing anti-dumping or countervailing duties, Commerce said it would instruct US Customs officials to begin collecting cash deposits on plywood from Vietnam.