China Hardwood Plywood: Prelim Results of AD/CVD Admin Reviews

Commerce has ordered liquidation “as entered” at the cash deposit rate in effect at the time of entry for subject merchandise from exporters for which a review was not requested (ADCVDWeb Message #s 3116412, 3115404).

In the preliminary results of its AD review, Commerce said that six companies -- Fulin Wood Import Export Company Limited; Greatwood Joint Stock Company; Greentech Investment Co., Ltd.; Long Dat Import and Export Production Company; Star Light Multimedia Co., Ltd.; and VietBac Plywood LLC -- had their requests for review withdrawn, and will end its AD review of these six companies with no change to their AD rates.

Likewise, Commerce is ending its CVD review for nine companies, three of which had no reviewable suspended entries -- BAC Son Woods Processing Joint Stock Company; Huong Son Wood Group Co., Ltd.; and Long Phat Construction Investment and Trade Joint Stock Company -- and six of which had their requests for review withdrawn. The six companies, the same ones that had their AD review requests withdrawn, are: Fulin Wood Import Export Company Limited; Greatwood Joint Stock Company; Greentech Investment Co., Ltd.; Long Dat Import and Export Production Company; Star Light Multimedia Co., Ltd.; and VietBac Plywood LLC. Commerce will instruct CBP to assess CVD on all applicable entries from these companies at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated CVD required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during the period of review.

AD Cash Deposit Requirements

Once Commerce issues its final results, new AD cash deposit requirements may take effect for some companies, beginning on the date of publication of the final results in the Federal Register. Commerce preliminarily calculated the following AD duty cash deposit rates:

No shipments. Commerce preliminarily found 67 companies -- see Appendix II of the notice for the complete list -- didn't have any exports to the U.S. or suspended entries during the period of review, so Commerce is rescinding the review for these companies. The cash deposit rates currently in effect for these companies will not change, and any entries reported to be from them will be assessed duties at the China-wide rate.

China-wide rate. Commerce preliminarily found three companies under review didn't establish their eligibility for a separate rate because they failed to provide a separate rate application or a separate rate certification, though they had reviewable entries during the period. The three companies are: Hoang Lam Plywood Joint Stock Co., Quang Phat Wood Joint Stock Company, and Shanghai Luli Trading Co., Ltd. The agency preliminarily assigned them to the China-wide entity, with a current rate of 114.72%.

Non-subject plywood exporters. Commerce said in the notice that it issued additional quantity and value questionnaires to 22 companies that had reported that their suspended entries consisted exclusively of non-subject merchandise. Complete responses were returned to Commerce from only 15 of them; upon analysis of the responses, Commerce preliminarily determined that the information from the 15 supports their claims that the hardwood plywood they exported to the U.S. is of non-subject plywood. Another four companies have conditional preliminary status as non-subject plywood exporters.

Commerce said it also preliminarily finds it appropriate to permit the 15 companies, as well as Thang Long, to participate in the certification program at the conclusion of this administrative review. The other three companies are currently eligible to participate in this certification program, and Commerce preliminarily found no basis to alter their status. For a list of the 19 companies preliminarily granted non-subject plywood exporter status, see Appendix I of the notice.

However, due to their failure to provide necessary information for determining certification eligibility, Commerce preliminarily determined that Groll Ply, Hoang Lam, Plywood Sunshine, Quang Phat, and Quoc Thai remain barred from participating in the certification program in this proceeding.

CVD Cash Deposit Requirements

New CVD cash deposit requirements may take effect for some companies beginning on the date of publication of the final results in the Federal Register. Commerce preliminarily calculated the following CVD cash deposit rates:

Non-subject plywood exporters. Similar to the situation with the AD review, Commerce said it analyzed the quality and value questionnaire responses returned from 15 of 21 companies claiming their exports were non-subject plywood products. The agency preliminarily found that these 15 companies provided information to support their claims that the hardwood plywood they exported to the U.S. was not assembled using any of the Chinese hardwood plywood input scenarios subject to the instant CVD order. Commerce also said it is preliminarily accepting the claims of three additional companies that their products are non-subject goods, pending the receipt of requested additional information.

Commerce also said it preliminarily found it appropriate to permit the 15 companies, as well as Thang Long, to participate in the certification program at the conclusion of this administrative review. The other two companies are currently eligible to participate in this certification program, and Commerce preliminarily found no basis to alter their status. For a list of the 18 companies preliminarily granted non-subject plywood exporter status, see Appendix I of the notice. If the preliminary results are sustained in the final results, Commerce will instruct CBP to liquidate the entries without regard to CVD.

However, due to their failure to provide necessary information for determining certification eligibility, Commerce preliminarily determined that Groll Ply, Hoang Lam, Plywood Sunshine, Quang Phat, and Quoc Thai remain barred from participating in the certification program in this proceeding.

Assessment Rates

If these preliminary results are confirmed in the final results, importers of subject merchandise from Groll Ply, Plywood Sunshine and Quoc Thai Forestry during the period Sept. 26, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022, would be assessed AD at importer-specific rates. Importers from the other companies under review would be assessed AD at the rates listed above. In the final results, Commerce also will set CVD assessments for importers of subject merchandise entered Sept. 26, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022.

(The AD and CVD period of review is 09/26/21 - 12/31/22. See the notices for additional information, including the scope of the order, potential cash deposit and assessment instructions, etc.)