China initiates anti-dumping proceedings against European chemical manufacturers

Chinese authorities have initiated anti-dumping proceedings with the European Commission against European chemicals makers, mainly Belgium-based Solvay and the European unit of Dow Chemicals, according to French newspaper Les Echos, which cited unidentified sources.

The newspaper reported that the anti-dumping action was focused on chlorine products, and Chinese authorities were also set to start similar action in the US.

The move follows the opening of a probe against Chinese solar panel manufacturers in Europe. Earlier this month, Chinese authorities launched an anti-dumping probe against European seamless steel pipe makers.

The move by China, is aimed at products made from chlorine and in particularly perchloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, according to the report.

The report added, China was believed to be taking similar action against the US.

This came as the second such anti-dumping procedure by China against European industry in less than two weeks.

Regarding China's complaint against companies making unwelded pipes, a company French group Vallourec, said that unwelded pipes accounted for only a small part of its business.

According to newspaper the Chinese complaints came after EU authorities imposed a customs duty averaging 47.0 per cent against solar panels imports from China.

EU authorities had also said that they intended to probe practices by the Chinese manufacturers of telephone exchanges, Huawei and ZTE, on suspicion they were selling their products at a loss.