2013-11-15China revives steel fastener trade dispute with EUChina on Wednesday has relaunched a long-running dispute with the European Union over steel bolts and screws, complaining that Brussels has not brought anti-dumping measures on the product into line with a trade panel ruling. A Chinese request through the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for consultations with the EU on the issue came two years after a WTO panel found flaws on the way in which Brussels had calculated its anti-dumping tariffs. In October 2012, the EU said it had reduced the duties, originally imposed in 2009, to take account of the panel ruling. But China now argues that the Brussels measures did not conform to those findings. The duties originally ranged from 26.5 percent to 85 percent. Last October the EU said these had been reduced to a range of between 22.9 percent and 74.1 percent. WTO member countries can impose anti-dumping duties on goods they deem to have been exported at prices lower than those at which they are sold on their home markets, but the calculation of these duties must follow WTO rules. The so-called steel fastenings - components widely used for cars, white goods and machinery in the 27-nation EU - affected by the tariffs were worth some 575 million euros (then $742 million) in 2007. Some 200 Chinese companies were affected, but the three-member WTO panel found that the EU had been wrong to apply its measures countrywide and not just to specific Chinese producers of the fasteners. Following the Chinese complaint, the EU has 15 days to agree to talks.

2013-10-312013 ISO/TC2 International Fasteners Standardizati 2013 ISO/TC2 International Fasteners Standardization Technical Committee Meeting, executed by AFNOR, was successfully held on Oct. 14th to 18th, 2013 in Paris, France. There were 42 experts from 12 countries of China, Germany, US, France, UK, Italy, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Canada, and South Korea participating in the meeting. Mr. Ding Baoping, general secretary of the National Fastener Standardization Technical Committee (SAC/TC85), acted as the head of Chinese delegation of five members. This was the sixth time for Chinese delegation to take part in ISO/TC2 International Fasteners Standardization Technical Committee Meeting since its participation in the Paris Annual Meeting in 2005, the Sweden Annual Meeting in 2007, the Switzerland Annual Meeting in 2008, the Japan Annual Meeting in 2010 and the Sydney Annual Meeting in 2012. The experts on-site listened carefully and considered the files and draft standards on ISO/TC2/SC7 basic standards, ISO/TC2/SC11 metric external thread fasteners, ISO/TC2/SC12 metric internal thread fasteners, ISO/TC2/SC14 metric fastener surface coating, and ISO/TC2/WG13 non-threaded fastener and washers. The meeting also examined the standards of ISO/WD 3269, ISO/CD 16288, ISO/WD 6157/1, 6157/2, 6157/3, ISO/CD 1891/2, 1891/3, 1891/4, ISO/PWI 4042, ISO/CD 898/3, ISO/PWI 2320, ISO 4759/3, 272, 3508, 4759/3, 4755, 7378, 8991, 8992, 2320, 15065 proposed in the past one year. China, being a P member, scrutinized every item of the standard texts, proposals and agenda as well, putting forward modification suggestions in accordance with Chinese working experience on fastener standardization and voting on the disagreed opinions, which won the ratification and affirmation from onsite experts, especially from Germany Secretary General.The meeting decided to establish WG3 washer working group to formulate the draft standard on ISO/WD 898/3, the third part washers and similar stamping gaskets of carbon steel and alloy steel fastener mechanical property. China was one of the seven member countries and would dispatch experts to attend in the work in the beginning of 2014. The next ISO/TC2 International Fasteners Standardization Technical Committee Meeting was scheduled in October, 2014 in Milan, Italy.

2013-10-14North America’s Largest Fastener Expo” Releases On The National Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo, set for October 23-25 at the Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, has today released the online version of the 2013 Expo Directory for advance information to the thousands of manufacturers, distributors, importers, sales reps and others expected to attend the largest exhibition since 2008. Simply click the following link to view the directory and prepare for the conference sessions you want to attend as well as the companies you want to visit: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication?i=177893"We are closing in on 800 booths presented by over 600 companies from throughout the U.S. as well as 18 international countries from around the world, making this the largest and most exciting Expo in both categories since 2008”, informs Susan A. Hurley, Expo General Manager.

2013-09-29Shanghai Free Trade Zone begins operation SHANGHAI -- The Shanghai pilot free trade zone (FTZ) started operating Sunday, launching a test bed for the Chinese leadership´s drive of deepening market-oriented reforms and boosting economic vitality.Located on the outskirts of the city where the Yangtze River empties into the East China Sea, the zone is set to explore new ways of reducing government interventions and opening the Chinese economy wider to global investors.Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said building the FTZ was a crucial decision made in the new era of China´s reform and opening-up. "It follows the tendency of global economic developments and reflects a more active strategy of opening-up," Gao said at the ceremony of the zone´s launch.At the ceremony, 36 companies were given licenses to operate in the zone, which covers 28.78 square kilometers.A game-industry joint venture of Microsoft and BesTV became the first company registered in the FTZ.Banking regulators gave the green light to 11 financial institutions including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Citi (China) and DBS (China) to set up branches in the zone where the most debated aspects of the country´s financial liberalization are to be tested."Under the precondition that risks can be controlled, China will create conditions to test yuan convertibility under the capital account, market-set interest rates and cross-border use of the Chinese currency in the zone," said a blueprint for the FTZ released by the country´s cabinet on Friday.DBS China managing director Tan Teck Long regarded the FTZ´s launch as a significant landmark event in the country´s economic reforms, saying the zone would bring vigorous developments in trade, law, consulting and especially financial innovations.The zone was launched as the world´s second largest economy is tackling challenges that have emerged from its upgrade to a more value-added and consumption-driven model.China´s economic growth dipped to 7.5 percent in the second quarter, far below the doubt-digit growth registered in the past decade, as the cost advantage is losing edge and investment yield is declining.Though manufacturing and investment recovery in the last two months reaffirmed Chinese economy would not encounter a hard landing, the country is still facing overcapacity and financial risks including massive goverment debt as well as excessive shadow banking.Chinese leaders have been calling for economic upgrades and market-oriented reforms since taking office in March.Comprehensive reform packages are expected to be discussed during the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November. Analysts say the zone has been set up to test the road map of China´s reforms in the upcoming decade."We are going to build Shanghai free trade zone as a test bed for pushing forward reforms and opening the economy wider," said Jian Danian, deputy director of the FTZ´s managing authorities. "We are seeking institutional arrangements that can be copied and rolled out nationwide."

2013-09-17Meet overseas exhibitors at CIAPE 2013 Organized by the Ministry of Commerce of China, 2013 China International Auto Parts Expo kicked off on Sept 13, 2013 at the old venue of China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.According to the official website of the expo, CIAPE is oriented to the global original equipment market, aftermarket, car tuning and accessories market. It provides Chinese and international auto parts industry with an inclusive and multi-functional platform for exhibition, trade, communication and cooperation.Valentina Polvara, management consultant of Car Studio Co Ltd and Yannick Greiner, director of international sales of Rugged Liner told chinadaily.com.cn about their expectations for joining the expo.