[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37624-37626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13493]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-917]


Laminated Woven Sacks From the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and 
Intent To Rescind, in Part; 2018

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that Shandong Shouguang Jianyuan Chun Co., Ltd. (Shouguang) received 
countervailable subsidies during the period of review, January 1, 2018 
through December 31, 2018. In addition, we intend to rescind this 
review with respect to the 18 companies listed in Appendix II of this 
notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary 
results.

DATES: Applicable June 23, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chien-Min Yang, 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) 482-5484.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 2, 2019, Commerce published in the Federal Register a 
notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the Sacks 
CVD Order \1\ for the period of review (POR) January 1, 2018 through 
December 31, 2018.\2\ On August 30, 2019, Commerce received a timely 
request for an administrative review of the Sacks CVD Order from the 
Laminated Woven Sacks Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members, 
Polytex Fibers Corporation and ProAmpac Holdings Inc. (collectively, 
the petitioners).\3\ On October 7, 2019, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.221(c)(l)(i), Commerce published in the Federal Register a notice 
of initiation of an administrative review of the Sacks CVD Order for 
the POR with respect to 20 companies.\4\
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    \1\ See Laminated Woven Sacks from the People's Republic of 
China: Countervailing Duty Order, 73 FR 45955 (August 7, 2008) 
(Sacks CVD Order).
    \2\ See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or 
Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative 
Review, 84 FR 37834 (August 2, 2019).
    \3\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Laminated Woven Sacks from the 
People's Republic of China: Request for Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review,'' dated August 30, 2019.
    \4\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 84 FR 53411 (October 7, 2019) (Initiation 
Notice). We initiated a review of 20 companies: (1) Cangnan Color 
Make The Bag; (2) Changle Baodu Plastic Co., Ltd.; (3) First Way 
(H.K.) Limited; (4) Han Shing Chemical Co., Ltd.; (5) Jiangsu Hotson 
Plastics Co., Ltd.; (6) Ningbo Yong Feng Packaging Co., Ltd.; (7) 
Polywell Industrial Co.; (8) Polywell Plastic Product Factory; (9) 
Shandong Longxing Plastic Products Company Ltd.; (10) Shandong Qikai 
Plastics Product Co., Ltd.; (11) Shandong Qilu Plastic Fabric Group, 
Ltd.; (12) Shandong Shouguang Jianyuan Chun Co., Ltd.; (13) Shandong 
Youlian Co., Ltd.; (14) Wenzhou Hotson Plastics Co., Ltd.; (15) Zibo 
Aifudi Plastic Packaging Co., Ltd.; (16) Zibo Linzi Luitong Plastic 
Fabric Co., Ltd.; (17) Zibo Linzi Qitianli Plastic Fabric Co., Ltd.; 
(18) Zibo Linzi Shuaiqiang Plastics Co., Ltd.; (19) Zibo Linzi Worun 
Packing Product Co., Ltd.; and (20) Zibo Qigao Plastic Cement Co., 
Ltd.
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    We stated in the Initiation Notice that, in the event Commerce 
limits the

[[Page 37625]]

number of respondents for individual examination, we intended to base 
our selection of mandatory respondents on U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) import data.\5\ On February 24, 2020, we placed CBP 
import data for entries of laminated woven sacks from the People's 
Republic of China (China) that entered the United States during the 
POR.\6\ No parties filed comments. On March 13, 2020, Commerce issued 
the respondent selection memorandum,\7\ in which we found that the CBP 
entry data indicated that, of the 20 companies subject to review, 
Shouguang was the only company with entries of subject merchandise 
during the POR.\8\ Therefore, we selected Shouguang as the sole 
mandatory respondent in this administrative review. We issued a 
questionnaire on March 16, 2020 seeking information regarding the 
alleged subsidies.\9\ Neither the Government of China (GOC) nor 
Shouguang responded to the questionnaire.
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    \5\ Id., 84 FR at 53412.
    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Countervailing Duty Administrative Review 
of Laminated Woven Sacks from the People's Republic of China: U.S. 
Customs Entries,'' dated February 24, 2020.
    \7\ See Memorandum, ``2018 Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Laminated Woven Sacks from the People's 
Republic of China: Respondent Selection,'' dated March 13, 2020 
(Respondent Selection Memo).
    \8\ Id. at 2. We note that Shouguang was found to be cross-owned 
with Shandong Longxing Plastic Products Co., Ltd. in the underlying 
investigation. See Memorandum, ``Cross-ownership and the Application 
of Adverse Facts Available to Shandong Shouguang Jianyuanchun Co., 
Ltd. and Shandong Longxing Plastic Products Co., Ltd., (SSJ/SLP),'' 
dated April 22, 2008, unchanged in Laminated Woven Sacks from the 
People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty 
Determination and Final Affirmative Determination, in Part, of 
Critical Circumstances, 73 FR 35639 (June 24, 2008). Thus, Shandong 
Longxing Plastic Products Co., Ltd. is subject to the same rate as 
Shouguang.
    \9\ See Commerce's Letter, ``2018 Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Laminated Woven Sacks from China: 
Initial Questionnaire,'' (March 16, 2020) (Initial Questionnaire).
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    On April 24, 2020, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative 
reviews by 50 days, thereby extending the deadline for these 
preliminary results until June 23, 2020.\10\
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    \10\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews in Response to 
Operational Adjustments Due to COVID-19,'' dated April 24, 2020.
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Scope of the Order

    The merchandise covered by this countervailing duty order is 
laminated woven sacks. For a complete description of the scope of the 
Sacks CVD Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.\11\
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    \11\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Results of and Rescission, in Part, of the Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review of Laminated Woven Sacks from the People's 
Republic of China; 2018,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby 
adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this administrative review in accordance 
with section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act). In reaching these preliminary results, Commerce relied on facts 
otherwise available, with the application of adverse inferences.\12\ 
For further information, see ``Use of Facts Otherwise Available and 
Application of Adverse Inferences'' in the accompanying Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum is provided at Appendix I to this notice.
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    \12\ See section 776 of the Act.
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    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 http://access.trade.gov. In 
addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can 
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. 
The signed and electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum are identical in content.

Intent To Rescind Review, In Part

    It is Commerce's practice to rescind an administrative review of a 
countervailing duty order, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), when there 
are no reviewable entries of subject merchandise during the POR for 
which liquidation is suspended.\13\ Normally, upon completion of an 
administrative review, the suspended entries are liquidated at the 
countervailing duty assessment rate calculated for the review 
period.\14\ Therefore, for an administrative review of a company to be 
conducted, there must be a reviewable, suspended entry that Commerce 
can instruct CBP to liquidate at the calculated countervailing duty 
assessment rate calculated for the review period.\15\
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    \13\ See, e.g., Lightweight Thermal Paper from the People's 
Republic of China: Notice of Rescission of Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review; 2015, 82 FR 14349 (March 20, 2017); see also 
Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe from the People's Republic 
of China: Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 
2017, 84 FR 14650 (April 11, 2019).
    \14\ See 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2).
    \15\ See 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3).
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    As noted in the ``Background'' section above, according to the CBP 
import data, 19 of the 20 companies subject to this review did not have 
reviewable entries of subject merchandise during the POR for which 
liquidation is suspended. However, as noted above, Commerce has 
previously found one of these 19 companies, Shandong Longxing Plastic 
Products Co., Ltd., to be cross-owned with Shouguang. Thus, Shandong 
Longxing Plastic Products Co., Ltd. remains subject to this review and 
is subject to the same rate as Shouguang. Accordingly, in the absence 
of reviewable, suspended entries of subject merchandise during the POR 
by the other 18 companies at issue, we intend to rescind this 
administrative review, in part, with respect to these 18 companies, in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3).\16\
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    \16\ See Appendix II for a list of the eighteen companies for 
whom we are rescinding this review because each that had no 
reviewable, suspended entries during the POR.
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Preliminary Results of Review

    Pursuant to section 776(a) of the Act, Commerce is preliminarily 
relying upon facts otherwise available because both the GOC and 
Shouguang have not participated in this review or responded to the 
initial questionnaire. As a result, necessary information is not 
available on the record. Additionally, by not responding to the initial 
questionnaire, the GOC and Shouguang withheld information that had been 
requested of them, failed to provide information within the deadlines 
established, and significantly impeded this proceeding. Moreover, 
pursuant to 776(b) of the Act, we preliminarily find that an adverse 
inference is warranted because, by not responding to the initial 
questionnaire, the GOC and Shouguang did not cooperate to the best of 
their ability to comply with Commerce's requests for information in 
this review. We preliminarily determine the net adverse facts available 
countervailable subsidy rate for Shouguang to be 398.62 percent ad 
valorem.

Disclosure, Public Comment, and Opportunity To Request a Hearing

    Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations 
performed in connection with preliminary results within five days of 
the date of publication of the preliminary results, in accordance with 
19 CFR 351.224(b). However, because Commerce has preliminarily applied 
a rate based on total facts otherwise

[[Page 37626]]

available with an adverse inference to the sole mandatory respondent in 
this review, in accordance with section 776 of the Act, and because the 
method for determining the subsidy rate is outlined in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum, there are no calculations to disclose.
    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted no later 
than 30 days after the date on which these preliminary results publish 
in the Federal Register. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in 
case briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after the 
deadline date for case briefs. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and 
(d)(2), parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this 
proceeding 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.\17\ All electronically filed documents must be received 
successfully in their entirety via Commerce's electronic records 
system, ACCESS, by the date and time it is due. Note that Commerce has 
temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents 
containing business proprietary information, until July 17, 2020, 
unless extended.\18\
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    \17\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2).
    \18\ See Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements 
Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 29615 (May 18, 
2020).
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310, any interested party may request a 
hearing within 30 days of publication of this notice. Hearing requests 
should contain the following information: (1) The party's name, 
address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) 
a list of the issues to be discussed. Oral presentations will be 
limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs. If a party 
requests a hearing, Commerce will inform parties of the scheduled date 
for the hearing at a time and location to be determined. Parties should 
confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing.
    Commerce intends to issue the final results of this review, 
including the results of its analysis of the issues raised in any 
written briefs, not later than 120 days after the date of publication 
of this notice, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act.

Assessment Rates and Cash Deposit Requirement

    Upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine, and 
CBP shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate entries 
covered by this review. If the preliminary results are unchanged for 
the final results, Commerce will instruct CBP to apply an assessment 
rate of 398.62 percent ad valorem to all entries of subject merchandise 
during the POR which were produced and/or exported by Shouguang. If 
this review is rescinded for the 18 companies listed in Appendix II, 
Commerce will instruct CBP to assess countervailing duties on all 
appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of estimated 
countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from 
warehouse, for consumption, during the period January 1, 2018 through 
December 31, 2018, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce 
intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions directly to CBP 15 
days after publication of this notice.
    Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce also intends 
to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing 
duties in the amount of 398.62 percent ad valorem for Shouguang on 
shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, 
for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final 
results of this review. For all non-reviewed firms, we will instruct 
CBP to continue to collect cash deposits at the most-recent company-
specific or all-others rate applicable to the company, as appropriate. 
These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect 
until further notice.

Notification to Interested Parties

    Commerce is issuing and publishing these results in accordance with 
sections 751(a)(l) and 777(i)(l) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213 and 
351.221(b)(4).

    Dated: June 17, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the Order
IV. Intent to Rescind Review, In Part
V. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Application of Adverse 
Inferences
VI. Disclosure and Public Comment
VII. Recommendation

Appendix II

List of Non-Selected Companies for Rescission

1. Cangnan Color Make The Bag
2. Changle Baodu Plastic Co., Ltd.
3. First Way (H.K.) Limited
4. Han Shing Chemical Co., Ltd.
5. Jiangsu Hotson Plastics Co., Ltd.
6. Ningbo Yong Feng Packaging Co., Ltd.
7. Polywell Industrial Co.
8. Polywell Plastic Product Factory
9. Shandong Qikai Plastics Product Co., Ltd.
10. Shandong Qilu Plastic Fabric Group, Ltd.
11. Shandong Youlian Co., Ltd.
12. Wenzhou Hotson Plastics Co., Ltd.
13. Zibo Aifudi Plastic Packaging Co., Ltd.
14. Zibo Linzi Luitong Plastic Fabric Co., Ltd.
15. Zibo Linzi Qitianli Plastic Fabric Co., Ltd.
16. Zibo Linzi Shuaiqiang Plastics Co., Ltd.
17. Zibo Linzi Worun Packing Product Co., Ltd.
18. Zibo Qigao Plastic Cement Co., Ltd.

[FR Doc. 2020-13493 Filed 6-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P