[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42450-42451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10644]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-041]


Truck and Bus Tires From the People's Republic of China: Final 
Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2022

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
certain producers and exporters of truck and bus tires from the 
People's Republic of China (China) received countervailable subsidies 
during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2022, through December 31, 
2022.

DATES: Applicable May 15, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ted Pearson, AD/CVD Operations, 
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20230; telephone: (202) 482-2631.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On February 13, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register 
the Preliminary Results of the 2022 administrative review of the 
countervailing duty order on truck and bus tires from China.\1\ From 
March 12 to March 13, 2024, we conducted verification of the export 
buyer's credit program at the premises of Qingdao Ge Rui Da Rubber Co., 
Ltd.'s (GRT) affiliated importer, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber 
Company.\2\ Subsequently, on March 22, 2024, we invited interested 
parties to comment on the Preliminary Results and verification.\3\ For 
a complete description of the events that occurred since the 
Preliminary Results, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.\4\ 
Commerce conducted this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(A) 
of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).
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    \1\ See Truck and Bus Tires from the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and 
Rescission of Review in Part, 2022, 89 FR 10034 (February 13, 2024) 
(Preliminary Results), and accompanying Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum (PDM).
    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Verification of the Export Buyer's Credit 
Questionnaire Responses of Qingdao Ge Rui Da Rubber Co., Ltd.,'' 
dated March 21, 2024 (Verification Report).
    \3\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Briefing Schedule,'' dated March 
22, 2024.
    \4\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Final Results 
of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review of Truck and Bus 
Tires from the People's Republic of China; 2022,'' dated 
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and 
Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Order

    The products covered by the order are truck and bus tires from 
China. For a full description of the scope of the order, see the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum.

Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised by the interested parties in their case and 
rebuttal briefs are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. 
The topics discussed and the issues raised by parties to which we 
responded in the Issues and Decision Memorandum are listed in the 
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 Duties Centralized Electronic Service 
System (ACCESS). ACCESS 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/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

    Based on comments received from interested parties, we made certain 
changes to the calculations of GRT's benefits for two programs: (1) 
government policy lending; and (2) compensation of land resettlement. 
For a discussion of these changes, see the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum.

Methodology

    Commerce conducted this administrative review in accordance with 
section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found 
countervailable, we determine that there is a subsidy, i.e., a 
government-provided financial contribution that gives rise to a benefit 
to the recipient, and that the

[[Page 42451]]

subsidy is specific.\5\ For a full description of the methodology 
underlying Commerce's conclusions, including any determination that 
relied upon the use of adverse facts available (AFA) pursuant to 
sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act, see the Issues and Decision 
Memorandum.
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    \5\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding 
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding 
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
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Final Results of the Administrative Review

    We find the following net countervailable subsidy rates for the 
period January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022:
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    \6\ As discussed in the Preliminary Results PDM, Commerce has 
found the following companies to be cross-owned with Qingdao Ge Rui 
Da Tire Company: Cooper Tire (China) Investment Co. Ltd.; Cooper 
Tire Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd.; Qingdao Yiyuan 
Investment Co., Ltd.; Goodyear Dalian Tire Company Limited; and 
Goodyear Tire Management Company (Shanghai) Ltd.

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                                                           Subsidy rate
                    Producer/exporter                       (percent ad
                                                             valorem)
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Jiangsu General Science Technology Co., Ltd.............          124.00
Qingdao Ge Rui Da Rubber Co., Ltd.\6\...................           10.16
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Disclosure

    We intend to disclose the calculations and analysis performed for 
these final results of review within five days after the date of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register in accordance with 
19 CFR 351.224(b).

Assessment

    In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.212(b)(2), Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate 
entries covered by this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment 
instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after publication of the 
final results of this review in the Federal Register. If a timely 
summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the 
assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant 
entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory 
injunction has expired (i.e., within 90 days of publication).

Cash Deposit Requirements

    In accordance with section 751(a)(1) of the Act, Commerce also 
intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated 
countervailing duties in the amounts shown for the companies listed 
above for shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the 
final results of this administrative review. For all non-reviewed 
firms, we will instruct CBP to continue to collect cash deposits of 
estimated countervailing duties at the all-others rate or the most 
recent company-specific rate applicable to the company, as appropriate. 
These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect 
until further notice.

Administrative Protective Order

    This notice also serves as a final 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)(3). Timely written 
notification of the return or 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 
subject to sanction.

Notification to Interested Parties

    The final results are issued and published in accordance with 
sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5).

    Dated: May 9, 2024.
Ryan Majerus,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the 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. Subsidies Valuation
V. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences
VI. Analysis of Programs
VII. Discussion of the Issues
    Comment 1: Whether the Provision of Inputs for Less Than 
Adequate Remuneration (LTAR) Constitutes a Financial Contribution
    Comment 2: Whether the Provision of Electricity for LTAR Is 
Countervailable
    Comment 3: Whether Commerce Appropriately Found that the 
Provision of Land-Use Rights for LTAR Constitutes a Financial 
Contribution
    Comment 4: Whether Commerce Should Revise the Calculations for 
Government Policy Lending
    Comment 5: Whether Commerce Should Revise the Calculations for 
the Compensation of Land Resettlement
    Comment 6: Whether Commerce Should Select a Different Benchmark 
for Recycled Synthetic Rubber
VIII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2024-10644 Filed 5-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P