Certain Paper Plates From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, in Part, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>International Trade Administration</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[A-570-164]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Certain Paper Plates From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, in Part, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain paper plates (paper plates) from the People's Republic of China (China) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is July 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Applicable September 5, 2024. </DATES> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Tylar Lewis, Toni Page, or Lingjun Wang, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-6009, (202) 482-1398, or (202) 482-2316, respectively. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on February 26, 2024. <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> On June 12, 2024, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until August 22, 2024. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> On July 22, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in this administrative proceeding by seven days. <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> The deadline for the preliminary determination is now August 29, 2024. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>   <E T="03">See Certain Paper Plates from the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations,</E> 89 FR 14046 (February 26, 2024) ( <E T="03">Initiation Notice</E> ). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>   <E T="03">See Certain Paper Plates from the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations,</E> 89 FR 49833 (June 12, 2024). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Memorandum, “Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings,” dated July 22, 2024. </FTNT> For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <SU>4</SU> <FTREF/> A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at <E T="03">https://access.trade.gov</E> . In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at <E T="03">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</E> . <FTNT> <SU>4</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Certain Paper Plates from the People's Republic of China,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum). </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Scope of the Investigation</HD> The products covered by this investigation are paper plates from China. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, <E T="03">see</E> Appendix I. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Scope Comments</HD> In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations, <SU>5</SU> <FTREF/> the <E T="03">Initiation Notice</E> set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( <E T="03">i.e.,</E> scope). <SU>6</SU> <FTREF/> No interested party commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the <E T="03">Initiation Notice.</E> Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the <E T="03">Initiation Notice. See</E> the scope in Appendix I to this notice. <FTNT> <SU>5</SU>   <E T="03">See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,</E> 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>6</SU>   <E T="03">See Initiation Notice,</E> 89 FR at 14047. </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Methodology</HD> Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Because China is a non-market economy, within the meaning of section 771(18) of the Act, Commerce has calculated normal value in accordance with section 773(c) of the Act. Furthermore, pursuant to sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act, Commerce preliminarily relied upon facts otherwise available, with adverse inferences, for the China-wide entity, which includes: (1) Anhui Yiqin Co., Ltd.; (2) Ningbo Artcool Co., Ltd.; (3) Ningbo Fenghua Yongfa Printing Stationery Co., Ltd.; (4) Shaoneng Group Guangdon Luzhou ECO Technology Co., Ltd.; (5) Yuyao Hongxiang Printing Co., Ltd.; (6) Zhejiang Kingsun Eco-Pack Co., Ltd.; (7) Zhejiang Xieli Science & Technology Co., Ltd.; (8) Guangdong Shaoneng Group Luzhou Technology Development Co., Ltd.; and (9) Paper World Limited. For a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's preliminary determination, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, in Part</HD> In accordance with section 733(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206, Commerce preliminarily determines that critical circumstances exist with respect to imports of paper plates from China for Jinhua P&P Products Co., Ltd (Jinhua), the non-selected companies eligible for a separate rate, and the China-wide entity, but that critical circumstances do not exist for Fuzhou Hengli Paper Co., Ltd. (Fuzhou Hengli) and its unaffiliated producers. For a full description of the methodology and results of Commerce's critical circumstances analysis, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Combination Rates</HD> In the <E T="03">Initiation Notice,</E> <SU>7</SU> <FTREF/> Commerce stated that it would calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 05.1 describes this practice. <SU>8</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>7</SU>   <E T="03">See Initiation Notice,</E> 89 FR at 14051. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>8</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Enforcement and Compliance's Policy Bulletin No. 05.1, regarding, “Separate-Rates Practice and Application of Combination Rates in Antidumping Investigations involving Non-Market Economy Countries,” (April 5, 2005) (Policy Bulletin 05.1), available on Commerce's website at <E T="03">https://enforcement.trade.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf.</E> </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Preliminary Determination</HD> Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist: <GPOTABLE COLS="4" OPTS="L2,nj,tp0,i1" CDEF="s50,r50,16,17"> <TTITLE> </TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Producer</CHED> <CHED H="1">Exporter</CHED> <CHED H="1"> Estimated weighted-average <ENT I="01">Guangdong Ecosource Environmental Technology Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Fuzhou Hengli Paper Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>0.00</ENT> <ENT>Not Applicable</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Ningbo Hongtai Package New Material Technology Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Fuzhou Hengli Paper Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>0.00</ENT> <ENT>Not Applicable</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Jinhua P&P Products Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Jinhua P&P Products Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Festa Party Products Mfy. (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Festa (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Top Printing Paper Products (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Festa (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Festa Party Products Mfy. (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Festa Limited</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Top Printing Paper Products (Zhongshan) Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Festa Limited</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Jieyang Weikangda Paper Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Fujian Putian Zhonghao Trade Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Dongyang Founder Paper Product Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Fujian Putian Zhonghao Trade Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Fuzhou Nicrolandee Arts & Craft Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Fuzhou Nicrolandee Arts & Craft Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Zhejiang Lanweier Paper Products Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Hangzhou Enli Paper Products Co. Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Landward Color Printing Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Landward Color Printing Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">Ningbo Hongtai Package New Material Technology Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>Ningbo Feisuo Import & Export Co., Ltd</ENT> <ENT>650.48</ENT ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 30k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━