[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37618-37620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16327]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-110]


Vertical Metal File Cabinets From the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that vertical metal file cabinets (file cabinets) from the People's 
Republic of China (China) are being, or are likely to be, sold in the 
United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of 
investigation (POI) is October 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019. 
Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary 
determination.

DATES: Applicable August 1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leo Ayala or Kathryn Wallace, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3945 or (202) 482-6251, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on May 24, 
2019.\1\ For a complete description of the events that followed the 
initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.\2\ A list of topics included 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 https://access.trade.gov, and to all parties in the 
Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Commerce building. In 
addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed 
and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are 
identical in content.
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    \1\ See Vertical Metal File Cabinets from the People's Republic 
of China: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 84 FR 
24093 (May 24, 2019) (Initiation Notice).
    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Vertical 
Metal File Cabinet from the People's Republic of China,'' dated 
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The products covered by this investigation are file cabinets 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,\3\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\4\ No interested party 
commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the 
Initiation Notice. Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope 
language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in 
Appendix I.
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    \3\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties; Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
    \4\ See Initiation Notice.
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Pursuant to section 776(a) and (b) of the Act, 
we have preliminarily relied upon facts otherwise available, with 
adverse inferences, for the China-wide entity because it did not 
respond to our requests for information. Commerce has preliminarily 
relied upon facts otherwise available, with adverse inferences, for the 
China-wide entity because it did not respond to our request for 
information. No companies have demonstrated their eligibility for a 
separate rate; thus, all companies are preliminarily found to be part 
of the China-wide entity. Furthermore, we find that the China-wide 
entity's lack of participation, including the failure of certain parts 
of the China-wide entity to respond to Commerce's questionnaires, 
constitute circumstances under which it is reasonable to conclude that 
the China-wide entity as a whole failed to cooperate to the best of its 
ability to comply with Commerce's requests for information. For a full 
description of the methodology underlying Commerce's preliminary 
determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Combination Rates

    In the Initiation Notice,\5\ Commerce stated that it would 
calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that 
are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 
05.1 describes this practice.\6\ In this case, because we did not 
receive any separate rate applications, and thus, no companies 
qualified for a separate rate, producer/exporter combination rates were 
not calculated.
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    \5\ See Initiation Notice, 84 FR 24096.
    \6\ See Enforcement and Compliance's Policy Bulletin No. 05.1, 
regarding, ``Separate-Rates Practice and Application of Combination 
Rates in Antidumping Investigations involving Non-Market Economy 
Countries,'' (April 5, 2005) (Policy Bulletin 05.1), available on 
Commerce's website at http://enforcement.trade.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf.
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Preliminary Determination

    Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated 
weighted-average dumping margins exist during the period October 1, 
2018 through March 31, 2019:

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                                                                                           Estimated weighted-
                                                                  Estimated weighted-    average dumping  margin
                       Producer/exporter                        average dumping  margin    adjusted  for export
                                                                        (percent)           subsidy offset(s)
                                                                                                (percent)
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China-Wide Entity.............................................                   198.5                   160.77
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Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation 
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, 
as discussed below. Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the

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Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash 
deposit equal to the weighted-average amount by which normal value 
exceeds U.S. price, as indicated in the chart above as follows: (1) For 
the producer/exporter combinations listed in the table above, the cash 
deposit rate is equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin 
listed for that combination in the table; (2) for all combinations of 
China producers/exporters of merchandise under consideration that have 
not established eligibility for their own separate rates, the cash 
deposit rate will be equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping 
margin established for the China-wide entity; and (3) for all third-
county exporters of merchandise under consideration not listed in the 
table above, the cash deposit rate is the cash deposit rate applicable 
to the China producer/exporter combination (or the China-wide entity) 
that supplied that third-country exporter.
    To determine the cash deposit rate, Commerce normally adjusts the 
estimated weighted-average dumping margin by the amount of domestic 
subsidy pass-through and export subsidies determined in a companion 
countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding when CVD provisional measures are 
in effect. Accordingly, where Commerce has made a preliminary 
affirmative determination for domestic subsidy pass-through or export 
subsidies, Commerce has offset the calculated estimated weighted-
average dumping margin by the appropriate rate(s). As discussed in the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum, we have made no adjustment for 
domestic subsidy pass-through. As further explained in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum, we have made an adjustment for export subsidies 
found in the companion CVD investigation.\7\ The adjusted rate may be 
found in the Preliminary Determination Section's chart of estimated 
weighted-average dumping margins above.
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    \7\ See unpublished Federal Register notice, ``Vertical Metal 
File Cabinets from the People's Republic of China: Preliminary 
Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination,'' signed July 24, 
2019, and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum.
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    Should provisional measures in the companion CVD investigation 
expire prior to the expiration of provisional measures in this LTFV 
investigation, Commerce will direct CBP to begin collecting cash 
deposits at a rate equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping 
margins calculated in this preliminary determination unadjusted for 
export subsidies at the time the CVD provisional measures expire.
    These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect 
until further notice.

Disclosure

    Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations 
performed in connection with a preliminary determination within five 
days of its public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, 
within five days of the date of publication of this notice in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). However, because Commerce 
preliminarily applied total AFA to the China-wide entity in this 
investigation in accordance with section 776 of the Act, and the 
applied AFA rate is based solely on the petition, there are no 
calculations to disclose.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 50 
days after the date of publication of the preliminary determination, 
unless the Secretary alters the time limit. Rebuttal briefs, limited to 
issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than five days 
after the deadline date for case briefs.\8\ 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.
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    \8\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general 
filing requirements).
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    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, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list 
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, 
Commerce intends to hold the hearing at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, at a time 
and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the 
date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled 
date.

Final Determination

    Section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1) provide that 
Commerce will issue the final determination within 75 days after the 
date of its preliminary determination. Accordingly, Commerce will make 
its final determination no later than 75 days after the signature date 
of this preliminary determination.

International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary 
determination of sales at LTFV. 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 imports of the subject merchandise are materially 
injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: July 24, 2019.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The scope of this investigation covers freestanding vertical 
metal file cabinets containing two or more extendable file storage 
elements and having an actual width of 25 inches or less.
    The subject vertical metal file cabinets have bodies made of 
carbon and/or alloy steel and or other metals, regardless of whether 
painted, powder coated, or galvanized or otherwise coated for 
corrosion protection or aesthetic appearance. The subject vertical 
metal file cabinets must have two or more extendable elements for 
file storage (e.g., file drawers) of a height that permits hanging 
files of either letter (8.5'' x 11'') or legal (8.5'' x 14'') sized 
documents.
    An ``extendable element'' is defined as a movable load-bearing 
storage component including, but not limited to, drawers and filing 
frames. Extendable elements typically have suspension systems, 
consisting of glide blocks or ball bearing glides, to facilitate 
opening and closing.
    The subject vertical metal file cabinets typically come in 
models with two, three, four, or five-file drawers. The inclusion of 
one or more additional non-file-sized extendable storage elements, 
not sized for storage files (e.g., box or pencil drawers), does not 
remove an otherwise in-scope product from the scope as long as the 
combined height of the non-file-sized

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extendable storage elements does not exceed six inches. The 
inclusion of an integrated storage area that is not extendable 
(e.g., a cubby) and has an actual height of six inches or less, also 
does not remove a subject vertical metal file cabinet from the 
scope. Accessories packaged with a subject vertical file cabinet, 
such as separate printer stands or shelf kits that sit on top of the 
in-scope vertical file cabinet are not considered integrated 
storage.
    ``Freestanding'' means the unit has a solid top and does not 
have an open top or a top with holes punched in it that would permit 
the unit to be attached to, hung from, or otherwise used to support 
a desktop or other work surface. The ability to anchor a vertical 
file cabinet to a wall for stability or to prevent it from tipping 
over does not exclude the unit from the scope.
    The addition of mobility elements such as casters, wheels, or a 
dolly does not remove the product from the scope. Packaging a 
subject vertical metal file cabinet with other accessories, 
including, but not limited to, locks, leveling glides, caster kits, 
drawer accessories (e.g., including but not limited to follower 
wires, follower blocks, file compressors, hanger rails, pencil 
trays, and hanging file folders), printer stand, shelf kit and 
magnetic hooks, also does not remove the product from the scope. 
Vertical metal file cabinets are also in scope whether they are 
imported assembled or unassembled with all essential parts and 
components included.
    Excluded from the scope are lateral metal file cabinets. Lateral 
metal file cabinets have a width that is greater than the body 
depth, and have a body with an actual width that is more than 25 
inches wide.
    Also excluded from the scope are pedestal file cabinets. 
Pedestal file cabinets are metal file cabinets with body depths that 
are greater than or equal to their width, are under 31 inches in 
actual height, and have the following characteristics: (1) An open 
top or other the means for the cabinet to be attached to or hung 
from a desktop or other work surface such as holes punched in the 
top (i.e., not freestanding); or (2) freestanding file cabinets that 
have all of the following: (a) at least a 90 percent drawer 
extension for all extendable file storage elements; (b) a central 
locking system; (c) a minimum weight density of 9.5 lbs./cubic foot; 
and (d) casters or leveling glides.
    ``Percentage drawer extension'' is defined as the drawer travel 
distance divided by the inside depth dimension of the drawer. Inside 
depth of drawer is measured from the inside of the drawer face to 
the inside face of the drawer back. Drawer extension is the distance 
the drawer travels from the closed position to the maximum travel 
position which is limited by the out stops. In situations where 
drawers do not include an outstop, the drawer is extended until the 
drawer back is 3\1/2\ inches from the closed position of inside face 
of the drawer front. The ``weight density'' is calculated by 
dividing the cabinet's actual weight by its volume in cubic feet 
(the multiple of the product's actual width, depth, and height). A 
``central locking system'' locks all drawers in a unit.
    Also excluded from the scope are fire proof or fire-resistant 
file cabinets that meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL) fire 
protection standard 72, class 350, which covers the test procedures 
applicable to fire-resistant equipment intended to protect paper 
records.
    The merchandise subject to the investigation is classified under 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 
9403.10.0020. The subject merchandise may also enter under HTSUS 
subheadings 9403.10.0040, 9403.20.0080, and 9403.20.0090. While 
HTSUS subheadings 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. Scope Comments
V. Discussion of the Methodology
VI. Adjustment Under Section 777(A)(F) of the Act
VII. Adjustments to Cash Deposit Rates for Export Subsidies
VIII. ITC Notification
IX. Disclosure and Public Comment
X. Verification
XI. Conclusion

[FR Doc. 2019-16327 Filed 7-31-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P