China boosting efforts to gain, ensure access to U.S. markets
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, June 28, 2004
High Point — The antidumping investigation of wood bedroom furniture has helped invigorate China's efforts to gain and ensure access to U.S. markets for Chinese manufacturers.
Chinese producers are taking steps to avoid future trade actions by U.S. manufacturers — or at least get an early heads-up on them.
The Dongguan Furniture Assn. already estimates the bedroom investigation will reduce the city's furniture exports to the United States by about $200 million to $300 million this year.
Fifty-four of the 135 Chinese manufacturers identified in the antidumping petition are in Dongguan.
Because manufacturers were preoccupied with the case, this spring's Dongguan International Furniture Fair was canceled. Last year's fair generated orders of $500 million.
This month, China petitioned the United States for classification as a market economy, and the two countries have assembled a working group to discuss issues related to the request.
Meanwhile, the New China News Agency reported that China is establishing a monitoring and early warning system to track an increased number of antidumping actions by developed countries. Chinese manufacturers can register to receive information on future prices, dumping margins and claims of injury to U.S. industry by Chinese products.
