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Freshwater Crawfish from the People's Republic of China
International Trade Administration
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is conducting
new shipper reviews of the antidumping duty order on freshwater
crawfish tail meat from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') in
response to requests from Jiangsu Jiushoutang Organisms-Manufacturers
Co. Ltd. (``Jiangsu JOM''), Shanghai Sunbeauty Trading Co., Ltd.
(``Shanghai Sunbeauty''), and Qingdao Wentai Trading Co. Ltd.
(``Wentai''). The period of review (``POR'') is September 1, 2004,
through February 28, 2005. We have preliminarily determined that the
new shipper reviews of Jiangsu JOM, Shanghai Sunbeauty, and Wentai
should all be rescinded because the sales made by each were not bona
fide. Much of the information upon which we relied to analyze the bona
fides of the sales is business proprietary; therefore, our full
analysis is set forth in: Memorandum to James C. Doyle, Director,
Office 9, from Scot T. Fullerton and Prentiss Lee Smith, Case Analysts,
Office 9: Bona Fides Analysis and Intent to Rescind New Shipper Review
of Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the People's Republic of China
for Jiangsu Jiushoutang Organisms-Manufactures Co., Ltd., dated
February 23, 2006 (``Jiangsu JOM Memo''), Memorandum to James C. Doyle,
Director, Office 9, from Scot T. Fullerton and Prentiss Lee Smith, Case
Analysts, Office 9: Bona Fides Analysis and Intent to Rescind New
Shipper Review of Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the People's
Republic of China for Shanghai Sunbeauty Trading Co. Ltd., dated
February 23, 2006 (``Sunbeauty Memo''), and Memorandum to James C.
Doyle, Director, Office 9, from Scot T. Fullerton and Prentiss Lee
Smith, Case Analysts, Office 9: Bona Fides Analysis and Intent to
Rescind New Shipper Review of Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the
People's Republic of China for Qingdao Wentai Trading Co. Ltd., dated
February 23, 2006 (``Wentai Memo''), public versions of which are on
file in the Central Records Unit, room B-099 of the main Commerce
Building. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary
rescission determination.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 2, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scot Fullerton or P. Lee Smith, AD/CVD
Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
1386 or (202) 482-1655, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On March 17, 2005, the Department received properly filed requests
for a new shipper review, in accordance with section 751(a)(2)(B) of
the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act'') and sections
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351.214(b) and (c) of the Department's regulations, from Shanghai
Sunbeauty and Jiangsu JOM under the antidumping duty order on
freshwater crawfish tail meat from the PRC. On March 18, 2005, the
Department received a properly filed request for a new shipper review,
in accordance with section 751(a)(2)(B) of the Act and section
351.214(b) and (c) of the Department's regulations, from Wentai under
the antidumping duty order on freshwater crawfish tail meat from the
PRC.
The Department determined that the requests met the requirements
stipulated in section 351.214 of the Department's regulations. On April
29, 2005, the Department published its initiation of these new shipper
reviews for the period September 1, 2004, through February 28, 2004.
See Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat From the People's Republic of China:
Initiation of New Shipper Antidumping Administrative Reviews, 70 FR
23987 (May 6, 2005).
On June 2, 2005, the Department received Jiangsu JOM, Shanghai
Sunbeauty and Wentai's section A questionnaire responses. On June 22,
2005, the Department received Jiangsu JOM and Shanghai Sunbeauty's
section C & D questionnaire responses. On June 30, 2005, the Department
received Wentai's section C & D questionnaire responses. On July 21,
2005, the Department issued its first supplemental questionnaire to
Jiangsu JOM and Shanghai Sunbeauty. On July 25, 2005, the Department
issued its first supplemental questionnaire to Wentai. On August 12,
2005, Wentai submitted its response to the Department's first
supplemental questionnaire. On August 17, 2005, Jiangsu JOM and
Shanghai Sunbeauty submitted their responses to the Department's first
supplemental questionnaire. On August 18, 2005, Jiangsu JOM submitted a
supplement to their August 17, 2005, submission. On September 19, 2005,
the Department issued its second supplemental questionnaire to Jiangsu
JOM and Shanghai Sunbeauty. On September 20, 2005, the Department
issued its second supplemental questionnaire to Wentai. On October 3,
2005, Jiangsu JOM and Shanghai Sunbeauty submitted their responses to
the Department's second supplemental questionnaire. On October 5, 2005,
Wentai submitted its response to the Department's second supplemental
questionnaire. On October 21, 2005, the Department rejected Jiangsu
JOM's response to the Department's second supplemental questionnaire.
On October 26, 2005, Jiangsu JOM resubmitted its response to the
Department's second supplemental questionnaire.
On October 14, 2005, the Department extended the due date for the
preliminary results of this new shipper review by 120 days from the
original October 26, 2005, deadline until February 23, 2005. See
Freshwater Crawfish Tail Meat from the People's Republic of China:
Notice of Extension of Time Limit of Preliminary Results of New Shipper
Review, 70 FR 61117 (October 20, 2005).
From October 18 through October 21, 2005, the Department conducted
verification of Jiangsu JOM's questionnaire responses at the company's
facilities in Xinghua City, Jiangsu, China. See ``Verification Report
for Jiangsu JOM,'' dated February 17, 2006. From January 23 through
January 24, 2006, the Department conducted verification of Jiangsu
JOM's affiliated U.S. importer, Easy River Seafood Corp. (``Easy
River''), in Alhambra, CA. See ``Verification Report for Easy River,''
dated February 17, 2006.
From October 31 through November 1, 2005, the Department conducted
verification of Shanghai Sunbeauty's questionnaire responses at the
company's sales office in Shanghai, China. See ``Verification Report
for Shanghai Sunbeauty,'' dated February 17, 2006. From November 3
through November 4, 2005, the Department conducted verification of
Shanghai Sunbeauty's questionnaire responses relating to its producer
for the POR, Wuwei Xinhua Food Co. Ltd. (``Wuwei Xinhua''), in Wuwei
County, Anhui Province, China. See ``Verification Report for Wuwei
Xinhua,'' dated February 21, 2006. From January 26 through January 27,
2006, the Department conducted verification of Shanghai Sunbeauty's
affiliated importer, Seawind Inc. (``Seawind''), in Redmond, WA. See
``Verification Report for Seawind,'' dated February 17, 2006.
From January 19 through 20, 2006, the Department conducted
verification of Qingdao Wentai's questionnaire responses at the
company's facilities in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. See
``Verification Report for Qingdao Wentai,'' dated February 17, 2006.
The Department also conducted verification at the Qingdao Wentai's
producer, Nanxian Shunxiang Aquatic Products Foodstuffs Co., Ltd.'s
(``Shunxiang'') facilities, from January 16 to January 17, 2006. See
``Verification Report for Nanxian Shunxiang,'' dated February 17, 2006.
Scope of the Antidumping Duty Order
The product covered by this order is freshwater crawfish tail meat,
in all its forms (whether washed or with fat on, whether purged or
unpurged), grades, and sizes; whether frozen, fresh, or chilled; and
regardless of how it is packed, preserved, or prepared. Excluded from
the scope of the order are live crawfish and other whole crawfish,
whether boiled, frozen, fresh, or chilled. Also excluded are saltwater
crawfish of any type, and parts thereof. Freshwater crawfish tail meat
is currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) under item numbers 1605.40.10.10 and
1605.40.10.90, which are the new HTSUS numbers for prepared foodstuffs,
indicating peeled crawfish tail meat and other, as introduced by the
U.S. Customs Service in 2000, and HTSUS items 0306.19.00.10 and
0306.29.00, which are reserved for fish and crustaceans in general. The
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and Customs purposes
only. The written description of the scope of this order is
dispositive.
Preliminary Intent to Rescind
Concurrent with this notice, we are issuing our memoranda detailing
our analysis of the bona fides of Jiangsu JOM, Shanghai Sunbeauty, and
Wentai's U.S. sales and our preliminary decision to rescind based on
the totality of the circumstances of the sales. Although much of the
information relied upon by the Department to analyze the issues is
business proprietary, the Department based its determination that the
new shipper sale made by Jiangsu JOM was not bona fide on the
following: (1) The price and quantity for Jiangsu JOM's sale of
crawfish tail meat were atypical of its post-POR sales and of other
exports from the PRC of the subject merchandise into the United States
during the period of review, (2) the relationship between Jiangsu JOM,
and other crawfish tail meat exporters and producers, (3) customer of
the single POR sale as compared to subsequent sales, and (4) other
indicia of a non-bona fide transaction. The Department based its
determination that the new shipper sale made by Shanghai Sunbeauty was
not bona fide on the following: (1) The price and quantity for Shanghai
Sunbeauty's sale of crawfish tail meat were atypical of its post-POR
sales and of other exports from the PRC of the subject merchandise into
the United States during the period of review, (2) payment of Seawind's
POR purchase and cash deposit, (3) source and timeliness of payment
from the POR customer, and (4) other indicia of a non-bona fide
transaction. The Department based its determination that the new
shipper sale made by Wentai was not
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bona fide on the following: (1) The price and quantity for Wentai's
sale of crawfish tail meat were atypical vis-a-vis other exports from
the PRC of the subject merchandise into the United States during the
period of review, (2) circumstances surrounding the sale and
negotiation for the single POR sale, (3) exporter and producer's
unreported business relationships, and (4) circumstances surrounding
the formation of Wentai and Shunxiang.
Because the Department has found these sales to be non-bona fide
they are not subject to review. See Jiangsu JOM Memo, Sunbeauty Memo,
and Wentai Memo. Wentai, Shanghai Sunbeauty, and Jiangsu JOM each only
made a single, non-bona fide sale during the POR. Therefore, the
Department intends to rescind these reviews because there are no
reviewable sales during the POR. See Tianjin Tiancheng Pharmaceutical
Co., Ltd. v. United States, 366 F. Supp. 2d 1246, 1249 (CIT 2005).
Schedule for Final Results of Review
Unless otherwise notified by the Department, interested parties may
submit case briefs within 30 days of the date of publication of this
notice in accordance with Sec. 351.309(c)(ii) of the Department's
regulations. As part of the case brief, parties are encouraged to
provide a summary of the arguments not to exceed five pages and a table
of statutes, regulations, and cases cited. Rebuttal briefs, which must
be limited to issues raised in the case briefs, must be filed within
five days after the case brief is filed.
Any interested party may request a hearing within 30 days of
publication of this notice in accordance with Sec. 351.310(c) of the
Department's regulations. Any hearing would normally be held 37 days
after the publication of this notice, or the first workday thereafter,
at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue
NW., Washington, DC 20230. Individuals who wish to request a hearing
must submit a written request within 30 days of the publication of this
notice in the Federal Register to the Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1870, 14th Street and
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Requests for a public
hearing should contain: (1) The party's name, address, and telephone
number; (2) the number of participants; and, (3) to the extent
practicable, an identification of the arguments to be raised at the
hearing. If a hearing is held, an interested party must limit its
presentation only to arguments raised in its briefs. Parties should
confirm by telephone the time, date, and place of the hearing 48 hours
before the scheduled time.
The Department will issue the final results of this new shipper
review, which will include the results of its analysis of issues raised
in the briefs, within 90 days from the date of the preliminary results,
unless the time limit is extended.
Notification
At the completion of this new shipper review, either with a final
rescission or a notice of final results, the Department will notify the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection that bonding is no longer permitted
to fulfill security requirements for shipments by the exporter/
producter combinations Jiangsu JOM, Shanghai Sunbeauty, and Wentai of
freshwater crawfish tail meat from the PRC entered, or withdrawn from
warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication of the final
rescission or results notice in the Federal Register. If a final
rescission notice is published, a cash deposit of 223.01 percent ad
valorem shall be collected for any entries exported/produced by Jiangsu
JOM, Shanghai Sunbeauty, and Wentai. Should the Department reach a
final result other than a rescission, an appropriate antidumping duty
rate will be calculated for both assessment and cash deposit purposes.
This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to
administrative protective orders (APO) of their responsibility
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written
notification of the return/destruction of APO material or conversion to
judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with
the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to
sanctions.
This new shipper review and this notice are published in accordance
with sections 751(a)(2)(B) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.
Dated: February 23, 2006.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-2967 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
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