Decision No. 3176/QD-BCT

DECISION

INVESTIGATION INTO CIRCUMVENTION OF TRADE REMEDY MEASURES ON CERTAIN HOT-ROLLED STEEL PRODUCTS ORIGINATING FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE

Pursuant to the Law on Foreign Trade Management No. 05/2017/QH14 dated June 12, 2017;

Pursuant to Decree No. 40/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025 of the Government defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2025/NĐ-CP dated April 11, 2025 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Foreign Trade Management on trade remedy measures;

Pursuant to Circular No. 26/2025/TT-BCT dated May 15, 2025 of the Minister of Industry and Trade detailing certain contents on trade remedy measures

Pursuant to Decision No. 536/QĐ-BCT dated February 28, 2025 of the Minister of Industry and Trade defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Trade Remedies Authority;

Pursuant to Decision No. 1959/QĐ-BCT dated July 4, 2025 on the imposition of official anti-dumping duties on certain hot-rolled steel products originating from the People's Republic of China and the termination of the investigation into the application of anti-dumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products originating from the Republic of India;

At the proposal of the Director General of the Trade Remedies Authority.

DECIDES:

Article 1. To investigate the circumvention of trade remedy measures with respect to certain hot-rolled steel products with a width greater than 1,880mm and less than or equal to 2,300mm originating from the People's Republic of China, classified under HS codes 7208.25.00, 7208.26.00, 7208.27.19, 7208.27.99, 7208.36.00, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.00, 7208.39.20, 7208.39.40, 7208.39.90, 7208.52.00, 7208.53.00, 7208.54.90, 7208.90.90, 7211.14.15, 7211.14.16, 7211.14.19, 7211.19.13, 7211.19.19, 7211.90.12, 7211.90.19, 7225.30.90, 7225.40.90, 7225.99.90, 7226.91.10, 7226.91.90 (case code: AC03.AD20), with details set out in the Notice attached to this Decision.

Article 2. The investigation order and procedures shall be carried out in accordance with the law on trade remedies.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of signing.

Article 4. The Chief of the Ministry Office, the Director General of the Trade Remedies Authority, and the Heads of relevant units and related parties shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.

NOTICE

INVESTIGATION INTO CIRCUMVENTION OF TRADE REMEDY MEASURES ON CERTAIN HOT-ROLLED STEEL PRODUCTS ORIGINATING FROM THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (Attached to Decision No. 3176/QĐ-BCT dated October 27, 2025 of the Minister of Industry and Trade)

1. Background information

On July 4, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No. 1959/QĐ-BCT on the imposition of official anti-dumping duties on certain hot-rolled steel products originating from the People's Republic of China and the termination of the investigation into the application of anti-dumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products originating from the Republic of India.

On June 3, 2025, the Trade Remedies Authority (hereinafter referred to as the Investigating Authority) received an Application requesting an investigation into the circumvention of anti-dumping duties on certain hot-rolled steel products with a width greater than 1,880mm and less than or equal to 2,300mm originating from the People's Republic of China (China), submitted by two domestic producers as the Requesting Parties, comprising: (i) Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel Joint Stock Company and (ii) Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation Limited (hereinafter referred to as the Requesting Parties).

On August 22, 2025 and September 10, 2025, the Investigating Authority received the third supplementary dossier pursuant to Notice No. 116/TB-PVTM dated August 7, 2025.

On September 18, 2025, the Investigating Authority issued Notice No. 149/TB-PVTM confirming that the Application was complete and valid in accordance with Vietnamese law on anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures.

2. Requesting Parties

i. Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel Joint Stock Company

Address: Dung Quat Economic Zone, Binh Dong Commune, Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province

ii. Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation Limited

Address: Vung Ang Economic Zone, Ky Long Ward, Ky Anh Town, Ha Tinh Province

3. Goods subject to the anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures investigation

The goods subject to the anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures investigation are hot-rolled steel products originating from the People's Republic of China (China) with the basic characteristics and HS code classification as follows:

a) Basic characteristics

The goods are certain alloy or non-alloy iron or steel products, flat-rolled; hot-rolled; of a thickness from 1.2mm to 25.4mm; with a width greater than 1,880mm and less than or equal to 2,300mm; not further worked than hot-rolled; whether or not pickled; not clad, plated or coated; whether or not oiled; with a carbon content of less than or equal to 0.30% by weight.

b) Goods codes (HS codes)

Hot-rolled steel products subject to the anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures investigation are classified under HS codes 7208.25.00, 7208.26.00, 7208.27.19, 7208.27.99, 7208.36.00, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.00, 7208.39.20, 7208.39.40, 7208.39.90, 7208.52.00, 7208.53.00, 7208.54.90, 7208.90.90, 7211.14.15, 7211.14.16, 7211.14.19, 7211.19.13, 7211.19.19, 7211.90.12, 7211.90.19, 7225.30.90, 7225.40.90, 7225.99.90, 7226.91.10, 7226.91.90.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade may amend or supplement the list of HS codes of the investigated goods to conform with the description of the investigated goods and other changes (if any).

c) Goods excluded from the scope of the anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures investigation:

- Hot-rolled steel products with a carbon content greater than 0.30% by weight;

- Hot-rolled steel plate products with a thickness of 10mm or more;

- Hot-rolled steel products that were excluded under the official duty imposition Decision No. 1959/QĐ-BCT dated July 4, 2025.

4. Scope of the investigation

To investigate acts of circumventing trade remedy measures applied to hot-rolled steel products with a width greater than 1,880mm and less than or equal to 2,300mm originating from the People's Republic of China through minor alterations of the goods subject to trade remedy measures.

5. Investigation order and procedures

5.1. Registration of interested parties

a) Organizations and individuals specified in Article 74 of the Law on Foreign Trade Management may register as interested parties in the case with the Investigating Authority in order to access publicly available information during the investigation and submit comments, information and evidence relevant to the investigation contents stated in this Notice.

b) Organizations and individuals shall register as interested parties using the Registration Form for Interested Parties in Appendix I issued together with Circular No. 26/2025/TT-BCT, and submit it to the Investigating Authority through the Online Trade Remedies Filing System (TRAV ONLINE) at: http://online.trav.gov.vn within sixty (60) working days from the effective date of the investigation decision. Concurrently, the Registration Form for Interested Parties may be submitted to the Investigating Authority by one of the following two methods: (i) post or (ii) email.

c) In order to protect their own lawful rights and interests, the Investigating Authority recommends that organizations and individuals producing, importing, or using the investigated goods register as interested parties so as to exercise the right to access information, provide information, and express their views during the investigation of the case.

5.2. Investigation questionnaire

Pursuant to Article 93 of Decree No. 86/2025/NĐ-CP, the Investigating Authority shall send the investigation questionnaire to the interested parties, including:

a) Domestic producers;

b) Foreign producers and exporters;

c) Importers of the goods under the anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures investigation;

d) Other interested parties.

5.3. Language

a) The language used during the investigation shall be Vietnamese. An interested party has the right to use its own ethnic language and script, in which case translation and interpretation must be provided.

b) Information and documents not in Vietnamese provided by an interested party must be translated into Vietnamese. The interested party must ensure the truthfulness and accuracy of the translated content and shall be legally responsible for it.

5.4. Confidentiality of information

The Investigating Authority shall maintain the confidentiality of information in accordance with Clause 2, Article 75 of the Law on Foreign Trade Management and relevant specific guiding documents.

5.5. Cooperation during the investigation

a) If any interested party refuses to participate in the case, or fails to provide necessary evidence, or significantly obstructs the completion of the investigation, the investigation conclusion regarding that interested party shall be based on the facts available.

b) If any interested party provides inaccurate or misleading evidence, such evidence shall not be considered, and the investigation conclusion regarding that interested party shall be based on the facts available.

c) The Investigating Authority recommends that interested parties fully cooperate during the case in order to protect their own lawful rights and interests.

6. Application of provisional anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures

Based on the preliminary investigation conclusion, the Investigating Authority may propose that the Minister of Industry and Trade issue a decision to apply or not apply provisional anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures in accordance with Article 94 of Decree No. 86/2025/NĐ-CP.

7. Application of official anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures

Based on the final investigation conclusion, the Investigating Authority may propose that the Minister of Industry and Trade issue a decision to apply or not apply official anti-circumvention of trade remedy measures in accordance with Article 95 of Decree No. 86/2025/NĐ-CP.

8. Investigation duration

Pursuant to Article 92 of Decree No. 86/2025/NĐ-CP, the investigation duration shall not exceed 09 months from the date the Minister of Industry and Trade decides to conduct the investigation. In special cases, the Minister of Industry and Trade may extend the investigation duration by no more than 03 months.

9. Contact information

Trade Remedies Authority - Ministry of Industry and Trade

Address: 54 Hai Ba Trung, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam

Email:

- Ms. Le Thi Kim Phung - Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Investigation Division: phungltk@moit.gov.vn

- Ms. Vu Thi Ha Phuong - Injury and Safeguard Investigation Division: phuongvth@moit.gov.vn

The Decision and Notice regarding the case can be accessed and downloaded on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Trade: www.moit.gov.vn; or the Trade Remedies Authority: www.trav.gov.vn or www.pvtm.gov.vn; or the TRAV ONLINE system at: http://online.trav.gov.vn.