1. On 04/03/2017, Commerce published in the Federal Register its countervailing duty order on stainless steel sheet and strip from the People's Republic of China (82 FR 16166).

2. The merchandise covered by this order is stainless steel sheet and strip, whether in coils or straight lengths. Stainless steel is an alloy steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The subject sheet and strip is a flat-rolled product with a width that is greater than 9.5 mm and with a thickness of 0.3048 mm and greater but less than 4.75 mm, and that is annealed or otherwise heat treated, and pickled or otherwise descaled. The subject sheet and strip may also be further processed (e.g., cold-rolled, annealed, tempered, polished, aluminized, coated, painted, varnished, trimmed, cut, punched, or slit, etc.) provided that it maintains the specific dimensions of sheet and strip set forth above following such processing. The products described include products regardless of shape, and include products of either rectangular or non-rectangular cross-section where such cross-section is achieved subsequent to the rolling process, i.e., products which have been “worked after rolling” (e.g., products which have been beveled or rounded at the edges).

For purposes of the width and thickness requirements referenced above: (1) Where the nominal and actual measurements vary, a product is within the scope if application of either the nominal or actual measurement would place it within the scope based on the definitions set forth above; and (2) where the width and thickness vary for a specific product (e.g., the thickness of certain products with non-rectangular cross-section, the width of certain products with non-rectangular shape, etc.), the measurement at its greatest width or thickness applies.

All products that meet the written physical description, and in which the chemistry quantities do not exceed any one of the noted element levels listed above, are within the scope of this investigation unless specifically excluded.

Subject merchandise includes stainless steel sheet and strip that has been further processed in a third country, including but not limited to cold-rolling, annealing, tempering, polishing, aluminizing, coating, painting, varnishing, trimming, cutting, punching, and/or slitting, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the stainless steel sheet and strip.

Excluded from the scope of this investigation are the following: (1) sheet and strip that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated and not pickled or otherwise descaled; (2) plate (i.e., flat-rolled stainless steel products of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more); and (3) flat wire (i.e., cold-rolled sections, with a mill edge, rectangular in shape, of a width of not more than 9.5 mm).

The products under investigation are currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7219.13.0031, 7219.13.0051, 7219.13.0071, 7219.13.0081, 7219.14.0030, 7219.14.0065, 7219.14.0090, 7219.23.0030, 7219.23.0060, 7219.24.0030, 7219.24.0060, 7219.32.0005, 7219.32.0020, 7219.32.0025, 7219.32.0035, 7219.32.0036, 7219.32.0038, 7219.32.0042, 7219.32.0044, 7219.32.0045, 7219.32.0060, 7219.33.0005, 7219.33.0020, 7219.33.0025, 7219.33.0035, 7219.33.0036, 7219.33.0038, 7219.33.0042, 7219.33.0044, 7219.33.0045, 7219.33.0070, 7219.33.0080, 7219.34.0005, 7219.34.0020, 7219.34.0025, 7219.34.0030, 7219.34.0035, 7219.34.0050, 7219.35.0005, 7219.35.0015, 7219.35.0030, 7219.35.0035, 7219.35.0050, 7219.90.0010, 7219.90.0020, 7219.90.0025, 7219.90.0060, 7219.90.0080, 7220.12.1000, 7220.12.5000, 7220.20.1010, 7220.20.1015, 7220.20.1060, 7220.20.1080, 7220.20.6005, 7220.20.6010, 7220.20.6015, 7220.20.6060, 7220.20.6080, 7220.20.7005, 7220.20.7010, 7220.20.7015, 7220.20.7060, 7220.20.7080, 7220.90.0010, 7220.90.0015, 7220.90.0060, and 7220.90.0080. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this proceeding is dispositive.

3. For imports of stainless steel sheet and strip from the People's Republic of China, CBP shall suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 03/30/2017 (date of publication of the International Trade Commission final determination in the Federal Register). Effective 03/30/2017, CBP shall require a cash deposit equal to the percentages identified below.

Producer and/or Exporter: All Others
Case Number: C-570-043-000
Subsidy rate: 75.60%

Producer and/or Exporter: Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd.
Case Number: C-570-043-001
Subsidy rate: 75.60%
Note: This also applies to the following companies: Tianjin TISCO & TPCO Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Precision Strip Co., Ltd., Taigang (Group) International Economic and Trade Co., Ltd., Shanxi Taigang Wanbang Furnace Burden Co., Ltd., and TISCO Metal Recycle Co., Ltd., TISCO Mining Branch Company and Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd.

Producer and/or Exporter: Ningbo Baoxin Stainless Steel Co., Ltd.
Case number: C-570-043-002
Subsidy rate: 190.71%
Note: This rate also applies to the following companies: Baosteel Stainless Steel Co., Ltd, Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Baosteel Desheng Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., Baosteel Co., Ltd., Bayi Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Ningbo Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Shaoguan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Guangdong Shaoguan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., and Zhanjiang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.

Producer and/or Exporter: Daming International Import Export Co Ltd.
Case number: C-570-043-003
Subsidy rate: 190.71%
Note: This rate also applies to the following company: Tianjin Taigang Daming Metal Product Co., Ltd.

4. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that critical circumstances do not exist with respect to subject imports from the People's Republic of China (see 82 FR 15716, dated 03/30/2017). As a result of the ITC's negative determination of critical circumstances, Commerce will direct CBP in separate instructions to refund all cash deposits collected on entries of stainless steel sheet and strip from the People's Republic of China which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 04/19/2016 and before 07/18/2016. The interest provisions of section 778 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, do not apply.

5. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OVII:ST)

5. There are no restrictions on the release of this information.

Alexander Amdur