(Yicai Global) Nov. 30 -- An official with China's Ministry of Commerce expressed strong dissatisfaction with the trade protectionist tendencies shown in the US Department of Commerce's move to self-initiated antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations on imports of Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet.

The Department of Commerce said on Nov. 28 that it will start relevant probing. Imports of common alloy sheet from China were valued at an estimated USD603.6 million last year. Common alloy sheet from China may face antidumping duties of 56.54 percent to 59.72 percent.

"The United States self-initiated antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of imports of common alloy aluminum sheet without requests by the US' industries," China's Ministry of Commerce said yesterday. "It is the first time in the past 25 years that the US Department of Commerce has self-initiated a trade remedy investigation, and the American move is rarely seen in the history of international trade."

The department last self-initiated a countervailing duty investigation in 1991 on softwood lumber from Canada. The last self-initiated antidumping duty investigation occurred in 1985 under the Reagan administration on semiconductors from Japan.

Chinese and American aluminum industries are complementary, and China and the US engage in two-way trade of aluminum products, said Wang Hejun, head of the Chinese commerce ministry's trade remedy and investigation bureau. Intentionally hindering the normal order in the two-way trade of aluminum products will damage Chinese and American interests, Wang said.

China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, said Wang.