The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) began the assessment Tuesday, almost five years after the anti-dumping measures were introduced -- they are set to expire next Thursday.

In a statement Tuesday, the ministry said deliberations have begun over whether or not to end the anti-dumping duties on newsprint imported from Canada, South Korea and the United States.

Nine Chinese newsprint makers made the dumping allegation in 1997 and the overseas groups were found guilty of the charge in the Chinese Government's final judgment, which was handed down in 1999.

Newsprint from the United States, Canada and South Korea was levied with tariffs ranging from 9 per cent to 78 per cent. The tariffs were introduced on July 10, 1998.

According to Chinese regulations, the anti-dumping measures can be extended if additional dumping or damage to the local industry is predicted.

Relevant domestic industries can ask for a review 60 days before the expiration date.

A dozen local newsprint makers including the Jilin Paper Industry Corp Ltd and Guangzhou Paper-making Co Ltd submitted an application for a review on May 9.

They asked MOFCOM to continue the anti-dumping duties on imports from the three countries.

They argue that the dumping may resume if the duties are lifted.

They also claim the local industry, which had relief during the life of the duties, is still fragile and heavily susceptible to dumping.

They asked MOFCOM to extend the anti-dumping measures so they can have more time to benefit from the technological upgrades made over the past five years.

The 12 companies have more than 73 per cent of the local newsprint industry's annual output.

In another development, MOFCOM has initiated an anti-dumping investigation against dispersion unshifted single-mode optical fiber from the United States, Japan and South Korea.

The charge was filed by two local companies -- the Yangtze Optical Fiber and Cable Co Ltd and Jiangsu Fasten Photonics Co Ltd -- on May 7. The companies make about 69 per cent of the product in China.

(China Daily July 2, 2003)