US Dollar Exchange Rates of
10th December
2020
China Yuan 6.5467
Report from China
US cuts anti-dumping duties on 21 Chinese plywood
enterprises
In response to a request from Chinese hardwood plywood
enterprises the US Department of Commerce has reviewed
the anti-dumping duties imposed on 21 Chinese
manufacturers and exporters of hardwood plywood and
decided to adjust the tariff rates imposed on these 21
enterprises.
These hardwood plywood enterprises now face a 14.95%
anti-dumping duty rates, a countervailing duty rates of
23% and a USTR 301 investigations and duty rates of 25%
according to the US Decorative Hardwoods Association.
Other Chinese exporters of hardwood plywood did not
provide documentation for the application of a separate
rate so the anti-dumping duty rate for them remained
unchangs at 183.36%.
China bans timber imports from additional Australian
States
According to China Customs, timber imports from
Tasmania and South Australia have been banned as a
result of pests detected in imported logs. Warning Notices
issued to suspend the import of logs from Queensland and
Victoria were issued on 31 October and 11 November
2020. Recently, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen and Qingdao
customs intercepted live forest pests in imported logs from
Tasmania and South Australia.
The Notices say in order to prevent introduction of
harmful organisms and protect agricultural and forestry
production in China it is hereby decided to suspend the
import of logs from Tasmania and South Australia in
accordance with relevant provisions of the Law of the
People's Republic of China on Import and Export Animal
and Plant Quarantine and its Implementation Regulations
as well as the International Standard for Phytosanitary
Measures.
Air pollution ¨C Timber enterprises cut or cease
production
An orange alert for heavy air pollution has been issued in
Lanshan District of Linyi City, Shandong Province and an
emergency response to the severe air pollution was
implemented on 5 December 2020. Emission reduction
measures such as restricting or halting manufacturing were
introduced. More than 5,000 enterprises have been
required to cut or stop production of which 46 are
plywood enterprises, 46 particleboard enterprises, 10
fibreboard enterprises and 312 furniture manufacturing
enterprises. These enterprises release VOCs during their
manufacturing processes.
A date for lifting the restrictions has not been announced
as this will depend of air pollution measurements.
As limits on production are a regular occurrence during
the autumn and winter months when air pollution becomes
serious companies have to adjust their production and
marketing to avoid losing market share.
In related news, dozens of wood panel enterprises in Hebei
Province will also cease production. The affected cities are
in the centre and southern parts of Hebei Province such as
Shijiazhuang, Langfang, Cangzhou, Baoding, Hengshui,
Xingtai, Handan, Dingzhou and Xinji.
Serious container congestion at some ports
It has been reported container cargo trains carrying timber
from Russia to Manzhouli, Erlian and Alashankou Ports
have stopped and this had disrupted the movement of
containers and resulted in container congestion at
Manzhouli, Erlian and Alashankou Ports.
Imported wood bonded processing zone in Wuhan City
The first bonded processing zone for timber in Yangluo
Port, Wuhan City, Hubei Province was officially launched
and put into operation recently. The new Zone handles
timber such as scots pine and spruce logs mainly from
Russia, Germany and the Netherlands. After processing at
the Yangluo Port Zone timber shipments will be
transported to enterprises in Wuhan City and other areas.
Imported logs arriving by boat enter the zone quickly
through Yangluo Port wharf which reduces the logistics
and transportation cost for enterprises. Previously
imported logs were transported to Wuhan by rail. While
this was fast the transportation cost per container was
around RMB5,000. Imported timber transported by boat to
Wuhan City has cut transportation costs.
See:
http://www.whxg.gov.cn/ztzl_50/xgkgzbq/zbqjs/202012/t20201204_1526334.html
Workshop - Application and design of Japanese wood
products
A Workshop on the Application and Design of Japanese
Indoor and Outdoor Wood Products sponsored by the
Japanese Wood Export Association was held in
Guangzhou City to promote technological exchanges and
trade in indoor and outdoor wooden building products.
The volume of Japanese log exports to China from January
to July 2020 rose 11% to 760,000 cubic metres, including
660,000 cubic metres of Japanese cedar and 90,000 cubic
metres of cypress.
The volume of Japanese sawnwood exports between
January and July 2020 grew 3% to 90,000 cubic metres,
including 50,000 cubic metres of Japanese cedar and
20,000 cubic metres of cypress. The value of Japanese
timber exports to China fell 7.6% to 19.2 billion yen.
National standard on wood plastic flooring
According to the People's Republic of China
announcement No.26 (2020) a national standard on
wood/plastic flooring GB/T24508-2020 has been released
by the National Standardization Technical Committee of
Forestry Biomass Materials. The new national standard on
wood/plastic flooring will be effective as of 1 June 2021.
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