Shrimp firms win case in US court

CHINA - Nine Chinese shrimp enterprises have won their year-long campaign against a ruling by the US Department of Commerce.

The US Court of International Trade ruled on Wednesday that the department had used unfair surrogate prices in its dumping ruling on imports of Chinese shrimps.

So said Zhang Zhibiao, secretary-general with the China Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products.

Zhang said the case had "set a good example for Chinese enterprises to fight for their own benefits through justice channels."

"It has also strengthened the confidence of domestic enterprises in fighting claims of dumping," he said.

In January 2005, the US commerce department said it would collect punitive duties of up to 112.8 per cent on Chinese shrimps.

As China is not regarded as a full market economy by the United States, the department used the prices of an Indian shrimp grower instead.

Source: China Daily