[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 23 (Friday, February 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7375-7376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02116]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-072]


Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products From the 
People's Republic of China: Final Results of the Expedited First Sunset 
Review of the Countervailing Duty Order

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that 
revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on sodium gluconate, 
gluconic acid, and derivative products (sodium gluconate) from the 
People's Republic of China (China) would be likely to lead to 
continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at the levels 
indicated in the ``Final Results of Sunset Review'' section of this 
notice.

DATES: Applicable February 2, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Trejo, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4390.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 13, 2018, Commerce published the CVD order on sodium 
gluconate from China.\1\ On October 2, 2023, Commerce published the 
notice of initiation of the first sunset review of the Order, pursuant 
to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).\2\ 
On October 12, 2023, Commerce received a timely notice of intent to 
participate from PMP Fermentation Products Inc. (the domestic 
interested party) within the 15-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 
351.218(d)(1)(i).\3\ The domestic interested party claimed interested 
party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.102(b)(29)(v) as producers of the domestic like product.
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    \1\ See Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid and Derivative Products 
from the People's Republic of China: Antidumping and Countervailing 
Duty Orders, 83 FR 56299 (November 13, 2018) (Order).
    \2\ See Initiation of Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews, 88 FR 67729 
(October 2, 2023).
    \3\ See Domestic Interested Parties' Letter, ``Sodium Gluconate, 
Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products from the People's Republic of 
China--Domestic Interested Parties' Notice of Intent to 
Participate,'' dated October 12, 2023.
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    On November 1, 2023, Commerce received an adequate substantive 
response to the Initiation Notice from the domestic interested party 
within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i).\4\ We 
received no substantive responses from any other interested parties, 
and no interested party requested a hearing. On November 17, 2023, 
Commerce notified the U.S. International Trade Commission that it did 
not receive an adequate substantive response from respondent interested 
parties, and that Commerce would conduct an expedited (120-day) sunset 
review of the Order,\5\ pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 
19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B)-(C).
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    \4\ See Domestic Interested Parties' Letter, ``Sodium Gluconate, 
Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products from the People's Republic of 
China--Domestic Interested Parties' Substantive Response,'' dated 
November 1, 2023.
    \5\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Sunset Reviews Initiated on October 
2, 2023,'' dated November 17, 2023.
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Scope of the Order

    The product covered by the Order is sodium gluconate from China. 
For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum.\6\
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    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Final Results 
of the First Expedited Sunset Review of the Antidumping Duty Orders 
on Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid and Derivative Products from the 
People's Republic of China,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby 
adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).
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Analysis of Comments Received

    A complete discussion of all issues raised in this sunset review, 
including the likelihood of the continuation or recurrence of 
subsidization in the event of revocation of the Order and the 
countervailable subsidy rates likely to prevail if the Order were to be 
revoked, is provided in the accompanying Issues and Decision 
Memorandum. A list of the topics discussed in the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum is attached as an appendix to this notice. The Issues and 
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), which is available to 
registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete 
version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly 
at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNotices/ListLayout.aspx.

Final Results of Sunset Review

    Pursuant to sections 751(c)(1) and 752(b) of the Act, we determine 
that revocation of the Order would be likely to lead to continuation or 
recurrence of countervailable subsidies at the

[[Page 7376]]

following net countervailable subsidy rates:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Subsidy rate
                         Company                            (percent ad
                                                             valorem)
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Qingdao Dongxiao Enterprise Co., Ltd....................          194.67
Shandong Fuyang Biotechnology Co........................          194.67
Shandong Kaison Biochemical Co Ltd......................          194.67
Tongxiang Hongyu Chemical Co., Ltd......................          194.67
All Others..............................................          194.67
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Administrative Protective Order

    This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to an 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a), which continues to govern 
business proprietary information in this segment of the proceeding. 
Timely written notification of the 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 violation which is 
subject to sanction.

Notification to Interested Parties

    Commerce is issuing and publishing these final results and this 
notice in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.218.

    Dated: January 29, 2024.
Abdelali Elouaradia,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the Order
IV. History of the Order
V. Legal Framework
VI. Discussion of the Issues
    1. Likelihood of Continuation or Recurrence of a Countervailable 
Subsidy
    2. Net Countervailable Subsidy Rates Likely To Prevail
    3. Nature of the Subsidies
VII. Final Results of Sunset Review
VIII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2024-02116 Filed 2-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P