Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced Tuesday that cold-rolled plate metal imports from Russia, the Republic of Korea, Ukraine, Kazakstan, and Taiwan Province were being "dumped", causing economic losses for local manufacturers.

But the ministry said it would temporarily refrain from taking any action against imports from these areas because of special circumstances. The ministry did not elaborate what the special circumstances were.

But punitive measures against the dumping could be implemented at anytime within the next five years, the ministry noted. It said the decision had been approved by the Tariff Policy Commission of the State Council.

The former Ministry of Foreign Trade and Cooperation, which merged with the MOFCOM earlier this year, launched an investigation on March 23, 2002, after complaints from local manufacturers.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2003)