The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Wednesday said that it was distributing questionnaires for an anti-dumping investigation into US-origin analog IC chips, following up on its September 13 announcement that it decided to initiate an anti-dumping investigation into such chips.

According to the notice, the questionnaires are divided into three categories: one for foreign exporters or producers, one for domestic producers and one for Chinese domestic importers.

Upon issuing the notice, the questionnaires will be distributed. Relevant interested parties shall truthfully complete and submit a complete and accurate response within 37 days from the date of questionnaire distribution. If a response is not provided in accordance with the questionnaire requirements within the specified period, or if other circumstances stipulated in Article 21 of the Anti-Dumping Regulations of the People's Republic of China apply, the investigating authority may make a ruling based on the facts already obtained and the best information available, said the MOFCOM notice.

"This notice marks the entry of the anti-dumping investigation into the substantive data collection phase, thereby providing a factual basis for determining whether to adopt anti-dumping measures," Zhang Xiaorong, director of the Beijing-based Cutting-Edge Technology Research Institute, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

On September 13, the MOFCOM said in a statement that it had received a formal application in July for an anti-dumping investigation submitted by the Jiangsu Semiconductor Industry Association on behalf of the relevant domestic analog chip industry.

The investigation began on September 13, and should typically conclude by September 13, 2026, with a possible extension of six months under special circumstances. The dumping investigation period for this case is from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, while the injury investigation period is from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024, the ministry said.

In response to a question about the anti-dumping investigation, a spokesperson of the MOFCOM on September 13 highlighted recent US actions including overgeneralizing national security concerns, abusing export controls, and wielding "long-arm jurisdiction" to maliciously block and suppress China's chip products and artificial intelligence sector. These actions violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and infringe upon the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises, and China firmly opposes these practices, the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, the anti-dumping investigation was initiated at the request of the Chinese domestic industry, which is in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations and WTO rules.

The investigation will focus on "Commodity Interface IC Chip and Gate Driver IC Chip" imports from the US. Preliminary data submitted by the domestic applicant indicated that from 2022 to 2024, cumulative imports of these US chips surged by 37 percent, while their prices dropped by 52 percent. These trends have depressed and suppressed domestic sale prices of similar products, causing damage to the operations of China's domestic chip industry, the spokesperson said.

The investigating authority will conduct the review in accordance with legal procedures, while fully protecting the rights of all interested parties, and arrive at an objective and fair ruling based on the evidence presented, the spokesperson added.

Zhang said that China's anti-dumping investigations are measures taken within the framework of international trade rules to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. In contrast, measures taken by the US against China in recent years exhibit tendencies of unilateralism and protectionism, and aim to suppress the development of relevant Chinese industries through non-market means, which has undoubtedly impacted the global trade order and the stability of industrial chains, the expert noted.

Global Times