China's Commerce Ministry issued preliminary anti-dumping duties on imports of U.S. and South Korean solar-grade polysilicon on Thursday, but made no decision on tariffs on European Union exports of the raw material used to make solar panels, according to Reuters. Beijing's widely expected hit on U.S. and South Korean producers coincides with difficult talks between the EU and China to defuse a conflict over alleged dumping of Chinese solar panels in Europe. That spat, according to EU officials, pushed Beijing to threaten duties on European wine exports and risks sparking a trade war in other goods, including steel. "Though the investigation into ... imported EU solar-grade polysilicon is still pending, the cause-and-effect relationship between the dumping of products from the United States and South Korea and harm to China's domestic industry cannot be denied," the Commerce Ministry said in a statement on its website. In Washington, the United States said it was "disappointed" with the Chinese action because it also was in talks with Beijing on solar trade issues, including solar panels and polysilicon. "This step did not move the ball forward, but we will continue to engage," a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative said, adding the United States would closely examine China's anti-dumping order to see if it violates World Trade Organization rules. Last October, the United States leveled steep duties on Chinese-made solar products, a move Beijing warned would provoke greater trade frictions in the new energy sector. The European Commission, the EU's executive body, has also accused China of dumping billions of euros of solar panels in Europe below production costs. -- SPA 22:28 LOCAL TIME 19:28 GMT تغريد
