US to investigate two Chinese products

31/01/2013 12:00 - 419 Views

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) initiated over the weekend four Section 337 investigations involving two kinds of Chinese products. It is the second time in four days that the US has taken trade remedy actions.

The first product at issue is a protective case used for handheld portable electronic devices. The probe is based on a complaint filed by California-based Speculative Product Design, LLC on December 26, 2012, said the USITC in a statement Friday. Shengda Huanqiu Shijie of Shenzhen and three other Chinese companies were identified as respondents in the investigation.

The complainant claimed Section 337 violations involving patent infringement, and requested an exclusion order and cease and desist orders, according to the federal bipartisan panel.

The other product is smartphone software and associated touch keyboard software that permits a user to input information with increased speed and/or accuracy. Four communications companies based in Massachusetts complained that China's Shanghai Hanxiang (Coo Tek) Information Technology Co Ltd and another US company in New York state infringed their patents.

The initiation of the investigations does not mean the USITC has made any decision on the merits of the cases. Within 45 days the body will set a target date for completing the investigations.

Should the complaints be approved, the panel will issue remedial orders, such as a ban on importation of the products in question.

Daniel Ikenson, director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at Cato Institute, said that Section 337 violates the rules of the World Trade Organization, and is merely a protectionist relic that needs to be eliminated.

In January this year, the US has launched one antidumping and three Section 337 investigations, including these two, against Chinese products. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.

2013-1-27 23:48:01

Source: Xinhua - Global Times