US COMMERCE DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE TAIWAN DRAM DUMPING CASE
Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) The US Department of Commerce has formally begun investigations into allegations that Taiwan companies dumped DRAMs in the US at unfair market prices, according to officials of Taiwan's Board of Foreign Trade on Wednesday.
The US International Trade Committee (ITC) will conduct a survey of Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturers and designers, seeking information on their imports, prices set for US consumers and the company's paid-in capital on Dec. 16 to determine whether the allegations are valid.
An initial investigation report will be issued by the ITC and the Department of Commerce will make a preliminary judgment on the issue of price discrepancies between Taiwan and domestic prices before April 1, 1999. A final report will not be issued until Aug. 12, 1999, the officials added.
On Oct. 22, Micron Co., the US' largest semiconductor manufacturer, filed suit against several Taiwan companies for allegedly dumping DRAMs at lower than fair market prices. Those accused include all of the island's major semiconductor manufacturers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., and United Microelectronics Corp.
The Department of Commerce will also levy anti-dumping taxes in addition to tariffs if the Taiwan companies are found guilty. The ROC Board of Foreign Trade, therefore, has urged those companies under suspicion to actively offer their information to the Department of Commerce so they can appeal for a lower individual anti-dumping tax rate. |
