Washington: The US Commerce Department has imposed preliminary duties of as much as 137.65 per cent on the import of aluminum products from China. These duties will impact imports worth $514 million.
Aluminum products are used for door and window frames, gutters, car parts and furniture.
China, the largest exporter to the United States, has already run up a $119 billion trade deficit with this country in its favour in the first half of 2010. It is well on its way to meet, or exceed, last year's total of $227 billion.
Meanwhile, the Commerce Department rejected a petition from US manufacturers seeking an increase of duties on imports from China to offset advantages they said was derived from currency manipulation by Beijing.
Aluminum and glossy paper manufacturers had claimed that an undervalued currency acted as a subsidy for Chinese producers allowing them to undercut American competitors.
The Commerce Department rejected these arguments.