The U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC's) International Trade Administration has issued an anti-dumping order on certain Chinese electric blankets that it says were  dumped on the U.S. market at less than their true value. The order states that a U.S. industry was "materially injured by" the imports.

The order covers certain Chinese woven blankets, finished and semi-finished and unassembled.

The order directs Customs and Border Protection to assess anti-dumping duties equal to the amount of the normal value of the products that entered the U.S. on or after Feb. 3, 2010, the date on which the DOC issued a preliminary determination of dumping.

U.S. textile manufacturers have been pressing the administration to use anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws to defend U.S. manufacturers against what they say are a rash of illegal export subsidies by the Chinese government, and U.S. government trade officials have said they will act when it can be demonstrated that illegal subsidies are hurting American industries and workers.

August 24, 2010