Notice2026-05003
Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From the People's Republic of China: Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Orders
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
March 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Abstract
Based on affirmative final determinations by the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), Commerce is issuing antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders on polypropylene corrugated boxes (corrugated boxes) from the People's Republic of China (China).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 50 (Monday, March 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12572-12575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05003]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-570-207, C-570-208]
Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From the People's Republic of
China: Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Orders
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: Based on affirmative final determinations by the U.S.
Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC), Commerce is issuing antidumping duty (AD) and
countervailing duty (CVD) orders on polypropylene corrugated boxes
(corrugated boxes) from the People's Republic of China (China).
DATES: Applicable March 16, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Alexander (AD) or Rachel Accorsi
(CVD), AD/CVD Operations, Offices II and VIII, Enforcement and
Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
(202) 482-4313 or (202) 482-3149, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In accordance with sections 705(d), 735(d), and 777(i) of the
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), on January 22, 2026, Commerce
published its affirmative final determinations of sales at less than
fair value (LTFV) of corrugated boxes from China,\1\ and its
affirmative final determination that countervailable subsidies are
being provided to producers and exporters of corrugated boxes from
China.\2\
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\1\ See Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes from the People's
Republic of China: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less
Than Fair Value, 91 FR 2739 (January 22, 2026) (LTFV Final
Determination).
\2\ See Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes from the People's
Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty
Determination, 91 FR 2734 (January 22, 2026) (Final CVD
Determination).
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On March 9, 2026, pursuant to sections 705(d) and 735(d) of the
Act, the ITC notified Commerce of its final affirmative determination
that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason
of LTFV imports of corrugated boxes from China, and subsidized imports
of corrugated boxes from China, within the meaning of sections
705(b)(1)(A)(i) and 735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act.\3\
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\3\ See ITC's Letter, ``Notification of ITC Final
Determinations,'' dated March 9, 2026 (ITC Notification Letter).
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Scope of the Orders
The merchandise covered by these orders are corrugated boxes from
China. For a complete description of the scope of the orders, see the
Appendix to this notice.
AD Order
On March 9, 2026, in accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, the
ITC notified Commerce of its final determination that an industry in
the United States is materially injured within the meaning of section
735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act by reason of imports of corrugated boxes
from China that are sold in the United States at LTFV.\4\ Therefore, in
accordance with sections 735(c)(2) and 736 of the Act, Commerce is
issuing this AD order. Moreover, because the ITC determined that
imports of corrugated boxes from China are materially injuring a U.S.
industry, unliquidated entries of such merchandise from China entered
or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption are subject to the
assessment of antidumping duties.
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\4\ Id.
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Therefore, in accordance with section 736(a)(1) of the Act,
Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to
assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties equal
to the amount by which the normal value of the merchandise exceeds the
export price (or constructed export price) of the merchandise on all
relevant entries of corrugated boxes from China. Antidumping duties
will be assessed on unliquidated entries of corrugated boxes entered,
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after August 28,
2025, the date of publication of the LTFV Preliminary Determination,\5\
but will not include entries occurring after the expiration of the
provisional measures period and before publication of the ITC's final
injury determination under section 705(b) of the Act, as further
described in the ``Provisional Measures--AD'' section of this notice.
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\5\ See Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From the People's
Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at
Less Than Fair Value, 90 FR 41988 (August 28, 2025) (LTFV
Preliminary Determination).
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Suspension of Liquidation and Cash Deposits--AD
Except as noted in the ``Provisional Measures--AD'' section of this
notice, in accordance with section 736 of the Act, Commerce intends to
instruct CBP to reinstitute the suspension of liquidation on all
relevant entries of corrugated boxes from China. These instructions
suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.
Commerce also intends to instruct CBP to require cash deposits
equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margins indicated in
the table below, adjusted by the relevant subsidy offsets. Accordingly,
effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register of the
notice of the ITC's final affirmative injury determination, CBP will
require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated
customs duties on subject merchandise, a cash deposit equal to the
rates listed in the table below. The rate for the China-wide entity
applies to all producers and exporters not specifically listed, as
appropriate. These instructions suspending liquidation and cash deposit
requirements will remain in effect until further notice.
Estimated Weighted-Average Dumping Margins
The estimated weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:
[[Page 12573]]
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Cash deposit rate
Weighted-average (adjusted for
Exporter/producer dumping margin subsidy offsets)
(percent) (percent)
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China-Wide Entity..................................................... * 83.64 82.21
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* Rate based on facts available with adverse inferences.
Provisional Measures--AD
Section 733(d) of the Act states that suspension of liquidation
pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in
effect for more than four months, except where exporters representing a
significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise request
that Commerce extend the four-month period to no more than six months.
In the underlying investigation, Commerce published the LTFV
Preliminary Determination on August 28, 2025. Therefore, the four-month
period beginning on the date of publication ended on December 25, 2025.
Therefore, in accordance with section 733(d) of the Act, we instructed
CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to liquidate,
without regard to antidumping duties, unliquidated entries of
corrugated boxes from China made on or after December 26, 2025, the
date on which the provisional measures expired, until and through the
day preceding the date of publication and prior to the date of
publication of the ITC's final determinations in the Federal Register.
Suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits will
resume on the date of publication of the ITC's final determination in
the Federal Register.
CVD Order
As stated above, on March 9, 2026, the ITC notified Commerce of its
final determination that an industry is materially injured within the
meaning of section 705(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act by reason of subsidized
imports of corrugated boxes from China.\6\ Therefore, in accordance
with section 705(c)(2) of the Act, Commerce is issuing this CVD order.
Moreover, because the ITC determined that imports of corrugated boxes
from China are materially injuring a U.S. industry, unliquidated
entries of such merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for
consumption, are subject to the assessment of countervailing duties.
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\6\ See ITC Notification Letter.
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Therefore, in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act, Commerce
will direct CBP to assess, upon further instructions by Commerce,
countervailing duties on unliquidated entries of corrugated boxes from
China entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after
August 20, 2025, the date of publication of the CVD Preliminary
Determination,\7\ but will not include entries occurring after the
expiration of the provisional measures period and before the
publication of the ITC's final injury determination under section
705(b) of the Act, as further described in the ``Provisional Measures--
CVD'' section of this notice, below.
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\7\ See Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes from the People's
Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty
Determination, and Alignment of Final Determination With Final
Antidumping Duty Determination, 90 FR 40564 (August 20, 2025) (CVD
Preliminary Determination).
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Suspension of Liquidation and Cash Deposits--CVD
In accordance with section 706 of the Act, Commerce intends to
instruct CBP to reinstitute the suspension of liquidation on all
relevant entries of corrugated boxes from China, effective on the date
of publication of the ITC's final affirmative determinations in the
Federal Register, and to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce,
pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, countervailing duties on each
entry of subject merchandise in an amount based on the net
countervailable subsidy rates for the subject merchandise. These
instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further
notice.
Commerce also intends, pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, to
instruct CBP to require cash deposits equal to the amounts as indicated
below. Accordingly, effective on the date of the publication of the
ITC's final affirmative injury determination in the Federal Register,
CBP will require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit
estimated customs duties on the subject merchandise, a cash deposit for
each entry of subject merchandise equal to the subsidy rates listed
below.\8\ The all-others rate applies to all producers or exporters not
specifically listed below, as appropriate.
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\8\ See section 706(a)(3) of the Act.
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Estimated Countervailable Subsidy Rates
The estimated countervailable subsidy rates are as follows:
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Subsidy rate
Company (percent ad
valorem)
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Dongguan Jian Xin Plastic Products................... * 62.27
Jinan Mantis Co Ltd.................................. * 62.27
Ningbo Luchen Packaging Technology Co., Ltd.......... * 62.27
Shandong PPKG I&E Co. Ltd............................ * 62.27
Suzhou Huiyuan Plastic Products Co................... * 62.27
All Others........................................... 62.27
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* Rate based on facts available with adverse inferences.
Provisional Measures--CVD
Section 703(d) of the Act states that the suspension of liquidation
pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in
effect for more than four months. Commerce published the CVD
Preliminary Determination on August 20, 2025.\9\ As such, the four-
month period beginning on the date of the publication of the
Preliminary Determinations ended on December 17, 2025.
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\9\ See CVD Preliminary Determination.
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[[Page 12574]]
Therefore, in accordance with section 703(d) of the Act, we
instructed CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to
liquidate, without regard to CVDs, unliquidated entries of corrugated
boxes from China entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption
on or after December 18, 2025, the date on which the provisional
measures expired, until and through the day preceding the date of
publication and prior to the date of publication of the ITC's final
determination in the Federal Register. Suspension of liquidation and
the collection of cash deposits will resume on the date of publication
of the ITC's final determination in the Federal Register.
Establishment of Annual Inquiry Service Lists
On September 20, 2021, Commerce published the Final Rule in the
Federal Register.\10\ On September 27, 2021, Commerce also published
the Procedural Guidance in the Federal Register.\11\ The Final Rule and
Procedural Guidance provide that Commerce will maintain an annual
inquiry service list for each order or suspended investigation, and any
interested party submitting a scope ruling application or request for
circumvention inquiry shall serve a copy of the application or request
on the persons on the annual inquiry service list for that order, as
well as any companion order covering the same merchandise from the same
country of origin.\12\
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\10\ See Regulations to Improve Administration and Enforcement
of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Laws, 86 FR 52300 (September
20, 2021) (Final Rule).
\11\ See Scope Ruling Application; Annual Inquiry Service List;
and Informational Sessions, 86 FR 53205 (September 27, 2021)
(Procedural Guidance).
\12\ Id.
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In accordance with the Procedural Guidance, for orders published in
the Federal Register after November 4, 2021, Commerce will create an
annual inquiry service list segment in Commerce's online e-filing and
document management system, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Electronic Service System (ACCESS), available at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>, within five business days of publication of the
notice of the order. Each annual inquiry service list will be saved in
ACCESS, under each case number, and under a specific segment type
called ``AISL-Annual Inquiry Service List.'' \13\
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\13\ This segment will be combined with the ACCESS Segment
Specific Information (SSI) field which will display the month in
which the notice of the order or suspended investigation was
published in the Federal Register, also known as the anniversary
month. For example, for an order under case number A-000-000 that
was published in the Federal Register in January, the relevant
segment and SSI combination will appear in ACCESS as ``AISL-January
Anniversary.'' Note that there will be only one annual inquiry
service list segment per case number, and the anniversary month will
be pre-populated in ACCESS.
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Interested parties who wish to be added to the annual inquiry
service list for an order must submit an entry of appearance to the
annual inquiry service list segment for the order in ACCESS within 30
days after the date of publication of the order. For ease of
administration, Commerce requests that law firms with more than one
attorney representing interested parties in an order designate a lead
attorney to be included on the annual inquiry service list. Commerce
will finalize the annual inquiry service list within five business days
thereafter. As mentioned in the Procedural Guidance,\14\ the new annual
inquiry service list will be in place until the following year, when
the Opportunity Notice for the anniversary month of the order is
published.
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\14\ See Procedural Guidance, 86 FR at 53206.
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Commerce may update an annual inquiry service list at any time as
needed based on interested parties' amendments to their entries of
appearance to remove or otherwise modify their list of members and
representatives, or to update contact information. Any changes or
announcements pertaining to these procedures will be posted to the
ACCESS website at <a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>.
Special Instructions for the Petitioner and Foreign Governments
In the Final Rule, Commerce stated that, ``after an initial request
and placement on the annual inquiry service list, both petitioners and
foreign governments will automatically be placed on the annual inquiry
service list in the years that follow.'' \15\ Accordingly, as stated
above, the petitioner and the Government of China (GOC) should submit
their initial entries of appearance after publication of this notice in
order to appear in the first annual inquiry service lists for these
orders. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.225(n)(3), the petitioner and the GOC
will not need to resubmit their entries of appearance each year to
continue to be included on the annual inquiry service list. However,
the petitioner and the GOC are responsible for making amendments to
their entries of appearance during the annual update to the annual
inquiry service list in accordance with the procedures described above.
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\15\ See Final Rule, 86 FR at 52335.
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Notification to Interested Parties
This notice constitutes the AD and CVD orders with respect to
corrugated boxes from China, pursuant to section 706(a) and 736(a) of
the Act. Interested parties can find a list of AD and CVD orders
currently in effect at <a href="https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/adcvd-orders-and-suspension-agreements">https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/adcvd-orders-and-suspension-agreements</a>.
These AD and CVD orders are issued and published in accordance with
sections 706(a) and 736(a) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.211(b).
Dated: March 10, 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 I
Scope of the Orders
The merchandise covered by the orders is polypropylene
corrugated boxes. Polypropylene corrugated boxes are boxes, bins,
totes, or other load-bearing containers made for holding goods, that
are made of corrugated polypropylene sheets, also known as
polypropylene hollow core sheets, polypropylene fluted sheets,
polypropylene twin wall sheets, or multi wall sheets. Such
polypropylene sheets are ``corrugated,'' ``fluted,'' or ``hollow
core,'' meaning the inside of the sheet contains channels or pockets
of air which make the sheets lightweight, while retaining strength
and durability. Polypropylene corrugated boxes are typically
produced from a plastic resin consisting of 50 percent or more
polypropylene. Polypropylene corrugated boxes are covered by the
scope irrespective of the particular mix of polypropylene homo-
polymer, polypropylene co-polymer, recycled or virgin polypropylene,
or ancillary chemicals such as electrostatic agents or flame
retardants. Polypropylene corrugated boxes are formed by corrugated
polypropylene sheets cut to length, die-cut into specific box
shapes, and may be cut or scored to allow each side of the box to be
folded into shape. Polypropylene corrugated boxes may include a tab
or attached portion of polypropylene corrugated sheet (commonly
referred to as a ``manufacturer's joint'') that has been cut,
slotted, or scored to facilitate the formation of the box by
stapling, gluing, welding, or taping the sides together to form a
tight seal. One-piece polypropylene corrugated boxes are die-cut or
otherwise formed so that the top, bottom, and sides form a single,
contiguous unit. Two-piece polypropylene corrugated boxes are those
with a folded bottom and a folded top as separate pieces. Multi-
piece polypropylene corrugated boxes are those with separate bottoms
and tops that are fitted to a single folded piece comprising the
sides of the box. Polypropylene corrugated boxes may be printed with
ink or digital designs.
[[Page 12575]]
The subject merchandise includes polypropylene corrugated boxes
with or without handles, with or without lids or tops, with or
without reinforcing wire, whether in a one-piece, two-piece, or
multi-piece configuration, and whether folded into shape or in an
unfolded form. The subject merchandise includes all polypropylene
corrugated boxes regardless of size, shape, or dimension. The
subject merchandise also includes polypropylene corrugated box lids
or tops when imported separately from polypropylene corrugated
boxes.
The products subject to the orders are currently classified in
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of Merchandise covered by the orders
is currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff System of the
United States (HTSUS) under statistical reporting number
3923.10.9000. Although the HTSUS statistical reporting number is
provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written
description of the merchandise is dispositive.
[FR Doc. 2026-05003 Filed 3-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 16, 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.