Pentafluoroethane (R-125) From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of pentafluoroethane (R-125) from the People's Republic of China (China). The period of investigation is January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

DATES:

Applicable June 25, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joshua Tucker or Adam Simons, AD/CVD Operations, Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2044 or (202) 482-6172, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 703(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on February 8, 2021. On March 16, 2021, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation to June 11, 2021. For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed 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 http://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/.

Scope of the Investigation

The product covered by this investigation is R-125 from China. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations, the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage, (i.e., scope). Certain interested parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice.

Commerce intends to issue its preliminary decision regarding comments concerning the scope of the antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations in the preliminary determination of the companion AD investigation.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, Commerce preliminarily determines that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution by an “authority” that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.

Commerce notes that, in making these findings, it relied, in part, on facts available and, because it finds that one or more respondents did not act to the best of their ability to respond to Commerce's requests for information, it drew an adverse inference where appropriate in selecting from among the facts otherwise available. For further information, see “Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences” in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Alignment

As noted in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum, in accordance with section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(4), Commerce is aligning the final CVD determination in this investigation with the final determination in the companion AD investigation of R-125 from China based on a request made by the petitioner. Consequently, the final CVD determination will be issued on the same date as the final AD determination, which is currently scheduled to be issued no later than October 25, 2021, unless postponed.

All-Others Rate

Sections 703(d) and 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated all-others rate for companies not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated subsidy rates established for those companies individually examined, excluding any zero and de minimis rates and any rates based entirely under section 776 of the Act.

In this investigation, Commerce calculated individual estimated countervailable subsidy rates for Zhejiang Quzhou Juxin Fluorine Chemical Co., Ltd. (Juxin) and Zhejiang Sanmei Chemical Ind. Co., Ltd. (Sanmei) that are not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Commerce calculated the all-others rate using a weighted average of the individual estimated subsidy rates calculated for the examined respondents using each company's publicly ranged values for the value of their exports of subject merchandise to the United States.

Preliminary Determination

Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated countervailable subsidy rates exist:

Suspension of Liquidation

In accordance with sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise as described in the scope of the investigation section entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the rates indicated above.

Disclosure

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination within five days of its public announcement, or if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Verification

As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon in making its final determination. Normally, Commerce verifies information using standard procedures, including an on-site examination of original accounting, financial, and sales documentation. However, due to current travel restrictions in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Commerce is unable to conduct on-site verification in this investigation. Accordingly, we intend to verify the information relied upon in making the final determination through alternative means in lieu of an on-site verification.

Public Comment

Case briefs or other written comments on non-scope issues may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. Interested parties will be notified of the timeline for the submission of case briefs and written comments at a later date. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after the deadline date for case briefs. The deadlines for submitting case and rebuttal briefs on scope issues will be established as part of the preliminary determination in the companion AD investigation. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, and a list of the issues to be discussed. Oral presentations at the hearing will be limited to issues raised in the briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, parties will be notified of the time and date for the hearing.

International Trade Commission Notification

In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 703(f) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise covered by this investigation is pentafluoroethane (R-125), or its chemical equivalent, regardless of form, type or purity level. R-125 has the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number of 354-33-6 and the chemical formula C₂ HF₅. R-125 is also referred to as Pentafluoroethane, Genetron HFC 125, Khladon 125, Suva 125, Freon 125, and Fc-125. Subject merchandise includes R-125, whether or not incorporated into a blend. When R-125 is blended with other products, only the R-125 component of the mixture is covered by the scope of this investigation. Subject merchandise also includes R-125 and unpurified R-125 that is processed in a third country or otherwise outside the customs territory of the United States, including, but not limited to, purifying, blending, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of this investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the in-scope R-125. The scope also includes R-125 that is commingled with R-125 from sources not subject to this investigation. Only the subject component of such commingled products is covered by the scope of this investigation.

Excluded from the current scope is merchandise covered by the scope of the antidumping order on hydrofluorocarbon blends from the People's Republic of China. See Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty Order, 81 FR 55436 (August 19, 2016).

R-125 is classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 2903.39.2035. Merchandise subject to the scope may also be entered under HTSUS subheadings 2903.39.2045 and 3824.78.0020. The HTSUS subheadings and CAS registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written description of the scope of the investigation is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Scope of the Investigation

IV. Injury Test

V. Diversification of China's Economy

VI. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences

VII. Subsidies Valuation

VIII. Benchmarks and Interest Rates

IX. Analysis of Programs

X. Conclusion