Beijing, May 20 – China on Sunday imposed anti-dumping duties of up to 74.9% on imports of polyoxymethylene (POM) copolymers—an engineering plastic used in automotive, electronics and medical applications—from the United States, European Union, Japan and Taiwan, escalating trade tensions as economic headwinds mount.
The Ministry of Commerce said the move concluded an investigation launched in May 2024, shortly after Washington raised tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and other key sectors, fuelling a broader trade dispute. POM copolymers, which can partially replace metals like copper and zinc, were found to be dumped into the Chinese market, harming domestic producers.
The highest duty of 74.9% will apply to U.S. imports, while European shipments will face a 34.5% tariff. Japanese imports will be subject to a 35.5% levy, except for Asahi Kasei Corp, which received a lower company-specific rate of 24.5%. Taiwanese producers face a general duty of 32.6%, though Formosa Plastics and Polyplastics Taiwan will pay just 4% and 3.8%, respectively.
Preliminary duties had been imposed in January after initial findings suggested dumping. Sunday’s final determination formalizes those measures. The announcement comes as hopes rise for a de-escalation in trade tensions. The United States and China recently agreed to a 90-day truce to roll back reciprocal tariffs, a move Chinese state media has urged both sides to extend.
Meanwhile, fresh economic data released Monday underscored the challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy. Industrial output rose 6.1% in April year-on-year, slowing from 7.7% in March but beating analysts’ expectations of 5.5%, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Retail sales climbed 5.1% in April, down from 5.9% the previous month and below market forecasts. Fixed asset investment rose 4.0% in the first four months of 2025, missing projections for a 4.2% gain.
China’s ailing property sector continued to drag on growth. Investment fell 10.3% in the January-April period compared with a year earlier, a sharper drop than the 9.9% decline in the first quarter. New construction starts by floor area plunged 23.8%, while property sales shrank 2.8%.
While the impact of tariffs has yet to cause acute economic pain, the trade war’s broader effects remain a concern. In a communique issued Friday, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group warned of “fundamental challenges” to the global trading system.
