Notice2026-00212
Xanthan Gum From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, Rescission, in Part, and Preliminary Determination of No Shipments; 2023-2024
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that both of the exporters under review did not make sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value and that Deosen Biochemical Ltd. had no shipments of subject merchandise during the period of review (POR) July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. In addition, we are rescinding this review, in part, with respect to CP Kelco (Shandong) Biological Company Limited (CP Kelco Shandong). Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 6 (Friday, January 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 959-962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00212]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-570-985]
Xanthan Gum From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary
Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, Rescission, in
Part, and Preliminary Determination of No Shipments; 2023-2024
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily
determines that both of the exporters under review did not make sales
of subject merchandise at less than normal value and that Deosen
Biochemical Ltd. had no shipments of subject merchandise during the
period of review (POR) July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. In
addition, we are rescinding this review, in part, with respect to CP
Kelco (Shandong) Biological Company Limited (CP Kelco Shandong).
Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.
DATES: Applicable January 9, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Molokwu, AD/CVD Operations,
Office IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-8043.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 19, 2013, Commerce published in the Federal Register the
antidumping duty (AD) order on xanthan gum from the People's Republic
of China (China).\1\ On July 1, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal
Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of
the AD order on xanthan gum from China.\2\ Between July 26 and July 31,
2024, Commerce received requests to conduct administrative reviews.\3\
Commerce published the Initiation Notice of this administrative review
of the Order on August 14, 2024, where we initiated a review for 14
companies.\4\ On December 9, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in
this administrative review by 90 days.\5\ On June 4, 2025, Commerce
extended the deadline for these preliminary results by 120 days until
October 29, 2025.\6\
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\1\ See Xanthan Gum from the People's Republic of China: Amended
Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Antidumping
Duty Order, 78 FR 43143 (July 19, 2013) (Order).
\2\ See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or
Suspended Investigation; Opportunity To Request Administrative
Review and Join Annual Service Inquiry Service List, 89 FR 54437
(July 1, 2024).
\3\ See Meihua Group International Trading (Hong Kong) and Jilin
Meihua Amino Acid, Co., Ltd's Letter, ``Request for Administrative
Review,'' dated July 26, 2024; see also Deosen Biochemical (Ordos)
Ltd.'s Letter, ``Request for Administrative Review,'' dated July 29,
2024; Jianlong Biotechnology Co. Ltd. (formerly, Inner Mongolia
Jianlong Biochemical Co., Ltd.)'s (Jianlong) Letter, ``AD
Administrative Review Request,'' dated July 29, 2024; CP Kelco U.S.,
Inc.'s (the petitioner) Letter, ``Request for Administrative
Review,'' dated July 31, 2024; CP Kelco (Shandong) Biological
Company Limited (CP Kelco Shandong)'s Letter, ``Request for
Administrative Review,'' dated July 31, 2024; ADI ChemTech, LLC,
Marietta, Georgia Letter, ``Request for Administrative Review,''
dated July 31, 2024; Ningxia Top Hydrocolloids Co., Ltd.'s Letter,
``Request for Administrative Review,'' dated July 31, 2024; and
Neimenggu Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. (aka Inner Mongolia
Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.)'s Letter, ``Neimenggu Fufeng's
Request for Antidumping Administrative Review,'' dated July 31,
2024.
\4\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Administrative Reviews, 89 FR 66035 (August 14, 2024) (Initiation
Notice).
\5\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadline for Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Proceedings,'' dated December 9, 2024.
\6\ See Memorandum, ``Extension of Deadline for Preliminary
Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review,'' dated June 4,
2025.
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Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown,
on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative
proceedings by 47 days.\7\ Additionally, due to a backlog of documents
that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service
System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24,
2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an
[[Page 960]]
additional 21 days.\8\ Accordingly, the deadline for these preliminary
results is now January 5, 2026.
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\7\ See Memorandum, ``Deadlines Affected by the Shutdown of the
Federal Government,'' dated November 17, 2025.
\8\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of all Case Deadlines,'' dated
November 24, 2025.
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For a complete description of the events that followed the
initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.\9\
A list of the topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
is attached as the appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision
Memorandum is a public document and is made available to the public via
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 is available at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.
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\9\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Results of the 2023-2024 Administrative Review of the Antidumping
Duty Order of Xanthan Gum 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 Order
The product covered by the Order includes dry xanthan gum, whether
or not coated or blended with other products. For a full description of
the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
Preliminary Determination of No Shipments
On September 13, 2024, Deosen Biochemical Ltd. filed timely
certifications that it had no exports, shipments, sales, or entries of
subject merchandise to the United States during the POR.\10\ Based on
information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and
on Deosen Biochemical Ltd.'s no shipment certification, Commerce
preliminarily determines that Deosen Biochemical Ltd. had no shipments
of subject merchandise during the POR.\11\
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\10\ See Deosen Biochemical Ltd.'s Letter, ``No Shipment
Certification of Deosen Biochemical Ltd.,'' dated September 13,
2024.
\11\ See Memorandum, ``Automated Commercial System Shipment
Query,'' dated August 19, 2024.
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Consistent with Commerce's practice in non-market economy (NME)
cases, we are not rescinding this administrative review with respect to
Deosen Biochemical Ltd. but intend to complete the review and issue
appropriate instructions to CBP based on the final results of the
review.\12\
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\12\ See Non-Market Economy Antidumping Proceedings: Assessment
of Antidumping Duties, 76 FR 65694 (October 24, 2011); and the
``Assessment Rates'' section, infra.
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Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an
administrative review, in whole or in part, if all parties that
requested a review withdraw their requests within 90 days of the
publication date of the notice of initiation of the requested review in
the Federal Register. On November 8, 2024, CP Kelco Shandong timely
withdrew its request for an administrative review of itself.\13\
Because no other party requested a review of CP Kelco Shandong,
consistent with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce is rescinding this
review, in part, with respect to CP Kelco Shandong.
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\13\ See CP Kelco Shandong's Letter, ``Withdrawal of Request for
Administrative Review,'' dated November 8, 2024.
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Methodology
Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section
751(a)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). We
calculated constructed export price in accordance with section 772 of
the Act. Because China is an NME country within the meaning of section
771(18) of the Act, we calculated normal value in accordance with
section 773(c) of the Act. For a full description of the methodology
underlying these preliminary results, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.
Separate Rates
Commerce preliminarily determines that eight non-individually
examined companies are eligible for a separate rate in this
administrative review.\14\ The Act and Commerce's regulations do not
address the establishment of a separate rate to be applied to companies
not selected for individual examination when Commerce limits its
examination in an administrative review pursuant to section 777A(c)(2)
of the Act. Generally, Commerce looks to section 735(c)(5) of the Act,
which provides instructions for calculating the all-others rate in an
investigation, for guidance when calculating the rate for separate-rate
respondents which Commerce did not examine individually in an
administrative review. Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act states that the
all-others rate should be calculated by averaging the weighted-average
dumping margins calculated for individually-examined respondents,
excluding dumping margins that are zero, de minimis, or based entirely
on facts available. Where the rates for the individually examined
companies are all zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts
available, section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act provides that Commerce may
use ``any reasonable method'' to establish the all-others rate.
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\14\ See Preliminary Decision Memorandum at the ``Separate Rate
Determination'' section for more details.
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We preliminarily calculated a zero percent dumping margin for both
the mandatory respondents in this review, i.e., Neimenggu Fufeng
Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. (aka Inner Mongolia Fufeng Biotechnologies
Co., Ltd.)/Shandong Fufeng Fermentation Co., Ltd./Xinjiang Fufeng
Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. and Deosen Biochemical (Ordos) Ltd.
Accordingly, we have preliminarily assigned this rate (i.e., 0.00
percent) to those companies that Commerce found preliminarily eligible
to receive a separate rate in this review. For additional information,
see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
China-Wide Entity
Under Commerce's policy regarding the conditional review of the
China-wide entity,\15\ the China-wide entity will not be under review
unless a party specifically requests, or Commerce self-initiates, a
review of the entity. Because no party requested a review of the China-
wide entity in this review, the entity is not under review, and the
entity's rate (i.e., 154.07 percent) is not subject to change.\16\
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\15\ See Antidumping Proceedings: Announcement of Change in
Department Practice for Respondent Selection in Antidumping Duty
Proceedings and Conditional Review of the Nonmarket Economy Entity
in NME Antidumping Duty Proceedings, 78 FR 65963 (November 4, 2013).
\16\ See Order, 78 FR at 43144.
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Aside from Deosen Biochemical Ltd., for which we preliminarily find
no shipments, and CP Kelco Shandong, for which this review is being
rescinded, Commerce considers all other companies for which a review
was requested and did not demonstrate separate rate eligibility to be
part of the China-wide entity.\17\ For these preliminary results, we
consider Shanghai Smart Chemicals Co. Ltd. to be part of the China-wide
entity because it did not file a separate rate application or
certification. For additional information, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.
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\17\ See Initiation Notice, 89 FR at 66036 (``All firms listed
below that wish to qualify for separate rate status in the
administrative reviews involving NME countries must complete, as
appropriate, either a separate rate application or certification, as
described below.'').
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Preliminary Results of Review
We preliminarily determine that the following weighted-average
dumping
[[Page 961]]
margins exist for the POR July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024:
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Weighted-average
Exporter dumping margin
(percent)
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Deosen Biochemical (Ordos) Ltd...................... 0.0
Neimenggu Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. (aka 0.0
Inner Mongolia Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd.)/
Shandong Fufeng Fermentation Co., Ltd./Xinjiang
Fufeng Biotechnologies Co., Ltd....................
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Non-Individually Examined Companies Receiving a Separate Rate
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Jianlong Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (formerly, Inner 0.0
Mongolia Jianlong Biochemical Co., Ltd.)...........
Jilin Meihua Amino Acid Co., Ltd.................... 0.0
Meihua Group International Trading (Hong Kong) 0.0
Limited/Langfang Meihua Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,/
Xinjiang Meihua Amino Acid Co., Ltd................
Ningxia Top Hydrocolloids Co., Ltd.................. 0.0
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Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis
performed to interested parties for these preliminary results of this
administrative review within five days of any public announcement or,
if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register, in accordance with
19 CFR 351.224(b).
Public Comment
Interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce no later than
21 days after the date of publication.\18\ Rebuttal briefs, limited to
issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed with Commerce no later
than five days after the date for filing case briefs.\19\ Parties who
submit case or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are requested to
submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue, (2) a brief
summary of the argument, and (3) a table of authorities.\20\
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\18\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii).
\19\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d).
\20\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we
request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their
briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their
briefs.\21\ Further, we request that interested parties limit their
public executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not
including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as
the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision
memorandum that will accompany the final results in this administrative
review. We request that interested parties include footnotes for
relevant citations in the public 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).\22\
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\21\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and
Decision Memorandum.
\22\ See APO and Service Procedures.
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Interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a
written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS.\23\ 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 issues to be discussed. Issues raised in
the hearing will be limited to those raised in case and rebuttal
briefs.\24\ If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to
hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. A hearing request
must be filed electronically using ACCESS and received in its entirety
by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the publication of this
notice.
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\23\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
\24\ See 19 CFR 351.310.
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Final Results of Review
Unless otherwise extended, commerce intends to issue the final
results of this administrative review, including the results of its
analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later than 120
days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.213(h)(1).
Assessment Rates
Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.212(b)(1), Commerce will determine, and U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate
entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of
this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP
no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final
results of this administrative review in the Federal Register. If a
timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the
assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant
entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory
injunction has expired (i.e., within 90 days of publication).
We will calculate importer/customer-specific assessment rates equal
to the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for examined
sales to a particular importer/customer to the total entered value of
those sales, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1).\25\ Where the
respondent reported reliable entered values, Commerce intends to
calculate importer/customer-specific ad valorem assessment rates by
dividing the total amount of dumping calculated for all reviewed U.S.
sales to the importer/customer by the total entered value of the
merchandise sold to the importer/customer.\26\ Where the respondent did
not report entered values, Commerce will calculate importer/customer-
specific assessment rates by dividing the total amount of dumping
calculated for all reviewed U.S. sales to the importer/customer by the
total quantity of those sales. Commerce will calculate an estimated ad
valorem importer/customer-specific assessment rate to determine whether
the per-unit assessment rate is de minimis; however, Commerce will use
the per-unit assessment rate where entered values were not
reported.\27\ Where an importer/customer-specific ad
[[Page 962]]
valorem assessment rate is not zero or de minimis, Commerce will
instruct CBP to collect the appropriate duties at the time of
liquidation. Where either the respondent's ad valorem weighted-average
dumping margin is zero or de minimis, or an importer/customer-specific
ad valorem assessment rate is zero or de minimis,\28\ Commerce will
instruct CBP to liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to
antidumping duties.
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\25\ We applied the assessment rate calculation method adopted
in Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of the Weighted-Average
Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping
Proceedings: Final Modification, 77 FR 8101 (February 14, 2012).
\26\ See 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1).
\27\ Id.
\28\ See 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2).
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For respondents not individually examined in this administrative
review that qualified for a separate rate, the assessment rate will be
equal to the weighted-average dumping margin assigned to the respondent
in the final results of this review.\29\
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\29\ See Drawn Stainless Steel Sinks from the People's Republic
of China: Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative
Review and Preliminary Determination of No Shipments: 2014-2015, 81
FR 29528 (May 12, 2016), and accompanying PDM, at 10-11, unchanged
in Drawn Stainless Steel Sinks from the People's Republic of China:
Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; Final
Determination of No Shipments; 2014-2015, 81 FR 54042 (August 15,
2016).
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Pursuant to Commerce's refinement of its practice, for sales that
were not reported in the U.S. sales database submitted by a respondent
individually examined during this review, Commerce will instruct CBP to
liquidate the entry of such merchandise at the dumping margin assigned
to the China-wide entity.\30\ Additionally, where Commerce determines
that an exporter under review had no shipments of subject merchandise
to the United States during the POR, any suspended entries of subject
merchandise that entered under that exporter's CBP case number during
the POR will be liquidated at the dumping margin assigned to the China-
wide entity.
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\30\ For a full discussion of this practice, see Non-Market
Economy Antidumping Proceedings: Assessment of Antidumping Duties,
76 FR 65694 (October 24, 2011).
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In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, the final
results of this review shall be the basis for the assessment of
antidumping duties on entries of merchandise covered by the final
results of this review and for future deposits of estimated antidumping
duties, where applicable.
Cash Deposit Requirements
The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all
shipments of xanthan gum from China entered, or withdrawn from
warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the
notice of the final results of this administrative review in the
Federal Register, as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act:
(1) for companies granted a separate rate in the final results of this
review, the cash deposit rate will be equal to the weighted-average
dumping margin established in the final results of this review for the
company (except, if the rate is zero or de minimis, then a cash deposit
rate of zero will be required); (2) for previously investigated or
reviewed China and non-China exporters not listed above that received a
separate rate in a prior segment of this proceeding, the cash deposit
rate will continue to be the existing exporter-specific rate; (3) for
all China exporters of subject merchandise that have not been found to
be entitled to a separate rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate
for the China-wide entity, which is 154.07 percent; and (4) for all
non-China exporters of subject merchandise that have not received their
own rate, the cash deposit rate will be the rate applicable to China
exporter(s) that supplied that non-China exporter. These deposit
requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further
notice.
Notification to Importers
This notice also serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of
their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) to file a certificate
regarding the reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties
prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period.
Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's
presumption that reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing
duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping
duties and/or countervailing duties.
Notification to Interested Parties
Commerce is issuing and publishing these preliminary results in
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR
351.213(d)(4) and 351.221(b)(4).
Dated: January 5, 2026.
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
List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the Order
IV. Partial Rescission of Administrative Review
V. Preliminary Determination of No Shipments
VI. Single Entity Treatment
VII. Discussion of the Methodology
VIII. Currency Conversion
IX. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2026-00212 Filed 1-8-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 9, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.