(Yicai Global) Nov. 29 -- The US Department of Commerce (DOC) will investigate anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imported common alloy aluminum sheets from China, marking the first 'self-initiated' investigation in more than a quarter of a century rather than initiating a probe in response to a company complaint, the DOC said online.

The department "has evidence that imports of common alloy sheet from China may be materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry producing common alloy sheet in the United States," it said in its statement.

The anti-dumping margin is between 56.54 percent and 59.72 percent, the DOC estimates, while the subsidy duty will be "above de minimis," meaning at least 2 percent.

The United States International Trade Commission will rule within 45 days of the announcement whether or not the imports have injured or threaten to injure the domestic industry. If it determines they have, the commerce department will continue its investigations and preliminarily rule on the countervailing duty in February 2018 and the anti-dumping duty in April 2018, unless the deadlines are extended.

The market for imported Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet was worth USD603.6 million in the US last year, according to DOC estimates.