Notice2025-07802

Hexamethylenetetramine From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

Primary source

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Published
May 6, 2025

Issuing agencies

Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that hexamethylenetetramine (hexamine) from the People's Republic of China (China) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 6, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 6, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19182-19184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07802]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-180]


Hexamethylenetetramine From the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily 
determines that hexamethylenetetramine (hexamine) from the People's 
Republic of China (China) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the 
United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of 
investigation (POI) is January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024. 
Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary 
determination.

DATES: Applicable May 6, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Cloyd, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1246, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce 
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on November 4, 
2024.\1\ On February 21,

[[Page 19183]]

2025, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this 
investigation until April 29, 2025.\2\
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    \1\ See Hexamethylenetetramine from the People's Republic of 
China, Germany, India, and Saudi Arabia: Initiation of Less-Than-
Fair-Value Investigations, 89 FR 87545 (November 4, 2024) 
(Initiation Notice).
    \2\ See Hexamethylenetetramine from the People's Republic of 
China, Germany, India, and Saudi Arabia: Postponement of Preliminary 
Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 90 FR 
10067 (February 21, 2025).
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    For a complete description of the events that followed the 
initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically 
via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to 
registered users at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In addition, a complete 
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly 
at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.
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    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of 
Hexamethylenetetramine from the People's Republic of China,'' dated 
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is hexamine from China. 
For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see 
Appendix I.

Scope Comments

    In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ the 
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise 
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ No interested 
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in 
the Initiation Notice. Thus, Commerce is not preliminarily modifying 
the scope language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice.
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    \4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
    \5\ See Initiation Notice.
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Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with 
section 731 of the Act. Furthermore, pursuant to sections 776(a) and 
(b) of the Act, Commerce preliminarily has relied upon facts otherwise 
available, with adverse inferences (AFA), for the China-wide entity. 
For a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's 
preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Combination Rates

    In the Initiation Notice,\6\ Commerce stated that it would 
calculate producer/exporter combination rates for the respondents that 
are eligible for a separate rate in this investigation. Policy Bulletin 
05.1 describes this practice.\7\ In this case, because no respondent 
qualified for a separate rate, producer/exporter combination rates were 
not calculated.
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    \6\ See Initiation Notice, 89 FR at 87549.
    \7\ See Enforcement and Compliance's Policy Bulletin No. 05.1, 
regarding, ``Separate-Rates Practice and Application of Combination 
Rates in Antidumping Investigations involving Non-Market Economy 
Countries,'' (April 5, 2005) (Policy Bulletin 05.1), available on 
Commerce's website at <a href="https://enforcement.trade.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf">https://enforcement.trade.gov/policy/bull05-1.pdf</a>.
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Preliminary Determination

    Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated 
weighted-average dumping margins exist:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Cash deposit
                                           Weighted-      rate (adjusted
           Producer/exporter            average dumping    for subsidy
                                             margin          offset)
                                           (percent)        (percent)
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China-wide Entity.....................        * 405.19           394.65
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* Rate based on facts available with adverse inferences.

Disclosure

    Normally, Commerce discloses to interested parties the calculations 
performed in connection with a preliminary determination within five 
days of its public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, 
within five days of the date of publication of the notice of 
preliminary determination in the Federal Register, in accordance with 
19 CFR 351.224(b). However, because Commerce preliminarily applied 
total AFA to the China-wide entity in this investigation, in accordance 
with section 776 of the Act, and the applied AFA rate is based solely 
on the petition, there are no calculations to disclose.

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will 
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation 
of subject merchandise as described in the scope of the investigation 
section entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or 
after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register, 
as discussed below. Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash 
deposit equal to the weighted average amount by which normal value 
exceeds U.S. price, as indicated in the chart above.
    To determine the cash deposit rate, Commerce normally adjusts the 
estimated weighted-average dumping margin by the amount of domestic 
subsidy pass-through and export subsidies determined in a companion 
countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding when CVD provisional measures are 
in effect. Accordingly, where Commerce has made a preliminary 
affirmative determination for domestic subsidy pass-through or export 
subsidies, Commerce has offset the calculated estimated weighted-
average dunping margin by the appropriate rates(s). As discussed in the 
Preliminary Decision Memoranudm, we have made no adjustment for 
domestic subsidy pass-through. As further explained in the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum, as an extension of our AFA finding for the China-
wide entity, the appropriate export subsidy adjustment is the lowest 
amount of export subsidies found for any respondent in the companion 
CVD investigation, which is 10.54 percent attributable to the Export 
Buyer's Credit program.
    Should provisional measures in the companion CVD investigation 
expire prior to the expiration of provisional measures in this LTFV 
investigation,

[[Page 19184]]

Commerce will direct CBP to begin collecting cash deposits at a rate 
equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin calculated in 
this preliminary determination unadjusted for the passed-through 
domestic subsidies or for export subsidies at the time the CVD 
provisional measures expire.
    These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect 
until further notice.

Verification

    Because the mandatory respondents in this investigation did not 
provide information requested by Commerce and Commerce preliminarily 
determines each of the mandatory respondents to have been 
uncooperative, verification will not be conducted.

Public Comment

    Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 30 
days after the date of publication of the preliminary determination.\8\ 
Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be 
filed not later than five days after the date for filing case 
briefs.\9\ Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs 
in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each 
issue; and (2) a table of authorities.\10\
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    \8\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i); see also 19 CFR 351.303 for 
general filing requirements.
    \9\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective 
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 
2023) (APO and Service Final Rule).
    \10\ See 19 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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    As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), in prior 
proceedings we have encouraged interested parties to provide an 
executive summary of their brief that should be limited to five pages 
total, including footnotes. In this investigation, we instead request 
that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a 
public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.\11\ 
Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive 
summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including 
citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the 
comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that 
will accompany the final determination in this investigation. We 
request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant 
citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce 
has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of 
documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\12\
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    \11\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that 
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum.
    \12\ See APO and Service Final Rule.
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal 
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days 
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: 
(1) the party's name, address, and telephone number, (2) the number of 
participants, and whether any participant is a foreign national, and 
(3) a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is 
made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be 
determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and 
location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Final Determination

    Section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1) provide that 
Commerce will issue the final determination within 75 days after the 
date of its preliminary determination. Accordlingly, Commerce will make 
its final determination no later than 75 days after the signature date 
of this preliminary determination.

U.S. International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify 
the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary 
determination of sales at LTFV. If the final determination is 
affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after 
the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final 
determination whether imports of the subject merchandise are materially 
injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This determination is issued and published in accordance with 
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

    Dated: April 29, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the 
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

    The scope of the investigation covers hexamine in granular form, 
with a particle size of 5 millimeters or less, whether stabilized or 
unstabilized, whether or not blended, mixed, pulverized, or grounded 
with other products, containing 50 percent or more hexamine by 
weight.
    Hexamine is the common name for hexamethylene tetramine 
(Chemical Abstract Service # 100-97-0), and is also referred to as 
1,3,5,7-tetraazaadamantanemethenamine; HMT; HMTA; 1,3,5,7- 
tetraazatricyclo {3.3.1.13,7{time}  decane; 1,3,5,7-tetraaza 
adamantane; hexamethylenamine. Hexamine has the chemical formula 
C6H12N4.
    Granular hexamine that has been blended with other product(s) is 
included in this scope when the resulting mix contains 50 percent or 
more of hexamine by weight, regardless of whether it is blended with 
inert additives, co-reactants, or any additives that undergo self-
condensation.
    Subject merchandise includes merchandise matching the above 
description that has been processed in a third country, including by 
commingling, diluting, adding or removing additives, or performing 
any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise 
from the scope of the investigations if performed in the subject 
country.
    Merchandise covered by the scope of the investigation can be 
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) of the United 
States under the subheading 2933.69.5000. The HTSUS subheading and 
Chemical Abstracts Service registry number are provided for 
convenience and customs purposes only; however, the written 
description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Discussion of the Methodology
V. Adjustment Under Section 777A(f) of the Act
VI. Adjustment To Cash Deposit Rate For Export Subsidies
VII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2025-07802 Filed 5-5-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on May 6, 2025.

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