China to stop duties on US auto imports

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Friday that it will stop anti-dumping and countervailing duties on sedans and sport utility vehicles with engines of 2.5 liters and above imported from the United States.

The MOC said in a statement on its website that the decision will be in effect starting Dec 15. The MOC had not received any applications for further investigations in the 60 days before the expiration date of the current measures.

The MOC announced on Dec 14, 2011 that China would levy the duties after an investigation showed evidence of dumping.

Since December 2011, importers of relevant vehicles have been required to set aside deposits with Chinese customs ranging from 2 percent to 12.9 percent, based on the level of dumping and subsidies the US car makers received from the US government, according to the MOC.