[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 64 (Thursday, April 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18556-18557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06907]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-814]


Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from the People's Republic 
of China: Preliminary Determination of No Shipments; 2018-2019

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that Solidbend Fittings & Flanges Sdn. Bhd. (Solidbend) made no 
shipments of subject merchandise during the period of review (POR) July 
1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. We invite all interested parties to 
comment on these preliminary results.

DATES: Applicable April 2, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Genevieve Coen, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office V, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3251.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 9, 2019, Commerce initiated an administrative review 
of the antidumping duty order \1\ on carbon steel butt-weld pipe 
fittings (butt-weld pipe fittings) from the People's Republic of China 
(China), in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended (the Act), with respect to one company, Solidbend.\2\ On 
October 9, 2019, Solidbend certified it had no shipments of subject 
merchandise during the POR.\3\ On October 18, 2019, we placed United 
States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data on the record and 
invited comment from interested parties.\4\ In December 2019, we 
confirmed Solidbend's no shipment claim with CBP.\5\ Because Solidbend 
reported it has no shipments, several parties requested that Commerce 
rescind its review of Solidbend; \6\ however, Solidbend did not 
withdraw its review request, and consistent with our practice, we have 
not rescinded this review with respect to Solidbend.\7\
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    \1\ See Antidumping Duty Order and Amendment to the Final 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Certain Carbon Steel 
Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from the People's Republic of China, 57 FR 
29702 (July 6, 1992) (Order).
    \2\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 84 FR 47242 (September 9, 2019).
    \3\ See Solidbend's Letter, ``Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe 
Fittings from the People's Republic of China, A-570-814: No Shipment 
Letter,'' dated October 9, 2019 (Solidbend No Shipment 
Certification).
    \4\ See Memorandum, ``Administrative Review of the Antidumping 
Duty Order of Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from the People's 
Republic of China: Release of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
Data Query,'' dated October 18, 2019.
    \5\ See Memorandum, ``Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from 
the People's Republic of China: Result of No Shipments Inquiry,'' 
dated December 10, 2019.
    \6\ See Tube Forgings, Mills, and Hackney's Letter, '' Certain 
Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from the People's Republic of 
China; Comment on Solidbend's No Shipment Letter,'' dated October 
11, 2019; see also Weldbend's Letter, ``Certain Carbon Steel Butt-
Weld Pipe Fittings from China: Comments on CBP Data,'' dated October 
25, 2019.
    \7\ See Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks from the People's 
Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative 
Review and Final Determination of No Shipments, In Part; 2018-2019, 
85 FR 9735 (February 20, 2020) (Magnesia Bricks).
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Scope of the Order

    The merchandise covered by the Order consists of certain carbon 
steel butt-weld pipe fittings, having an inside diameter of less than 
14 inches, imported in either finished or unfinished form. These formed 
or forged pipe fittings are used to join sections in piping systems 
where conditions require permanent, welded connections, as 
distinguished from fittings based on other fastening methods (e.g., 
threaded, grooved, or bolted fittings). Carbon steel butt-weld pipe 
fittings are currently classified under subheading 7307.93.30 of the 
HTSUS. The HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs 
purposes. The written product description remains dispositive.

Preliminary Determination of No Shipments

    On October 9, 2019, Solidbend timely filed a statement reporting 
that it made no shipments of subject merchandise to the United States 
during the POR.\8\ We confirmed the claim from Solidbend with CBP. 
Based on this information, we preliminarily determine that Solidbend 
had no shipments during the POR.
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    \8\ See Solidbend No Shipment Certification.
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    Consistent with our practice, we are not preliminarily rescinding 
the review with respect to Solidbend. Rather, we will complete the 
review with respect to this company and issue appropriate instructions 
to CBP based on the final results of this review.\9\
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    \9\ See, e.g., Magnesia Bricks.
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Disclosure and Public Comment

    Commerce has made no calculations as part of these preliminary 
results. Accordingly, there will be no disclosure of the calculations 
performed for these preliminary results of review in accordance with 19 
CFR 351.224(b).
    Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative 
review no later than 120 days after the date of publication of this 
notice, unless extended.\10\
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    \10\ See section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h).
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Assessment Rates

    Upon completion of this administrative review, Commerce shall 
determine, and CBP shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate 
entries. Pursuant to Commerce's practice in non-market economy cases, 
if Commerce continues to determine in the final results that Solidbend 
had no shipments of subject merchandise, Commerce will liquidate any 
suspended entries during the POR from Solidbend at the China-wide 
rate.\11\ We intend to issue assessment instructions 15 days

[[Page 18557]]

after the publication date of the final results of this review.
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    \11\ For a full discussion of this practice, see Non-Market 
Economy Antidumping Proceedings: Assessment of Antidumping Duties, 
76 FR 65694 (October 24, 2011).
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Cash Deposit Requirements

    The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all 
shipments of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date of the 
final results of this administrative review, as provided by section 
751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) For previously investigated or reviewed 
Chinese and non-Chinese exporters not listed above that have separate 
rates, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the exporter-specific 
rate published for the most recently-completed segment of this 
proceeding; (2) the cash deposit rate for all Chinese manufacturers or 
exporters of subject merchandise will continue to be 182.90 percent, 
the China-wide rate determined in the less-than-fair-value 
investigation; (3) for all non-Chinese exporters of subject merchandise 
that have not received their own rate, the cash deposit rate will be 
the rate applicable to the Chinese exporter that supplied that non-
Chinese exporter.\12\ These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, 
shall remain in effect until further notice.
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    \12\ See Antidumping Duty Order and Amendment to the Final 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Certain Carbon Steel 
Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings from the People's Republic of China, 57 FR 
29702 (July 6, 1992).
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Notification to Importers

    This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of 
their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate 
regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation 
of the relevant entries during this POR. Failure to comply with this 
requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement 
of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled 
antidumping duties.

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

    This notice serves as a preliminary reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written 
notification of the return/destruction of APO materials or conversion 
to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply 
with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This administrative review and notice are issued and published in 
accordance with section 751(a)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: March 25, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary, for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-06907 Filed 4-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P