China's Ministry of Commerce said on Jan. 31 it will start a sunset review of its five-year anti-dumping duties on phenol imports from Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States and Taiwan.

The review, beginning Sunday, will evaluate the effectiveness and continued need for duties on imports of phenol, also known as carbolic acid, which is chiefly used as a disinfectant or an antiseptic and in organic synthesis.

The ministry would continue to impose anti-dumping duties on the imports until the review ended on Feb. 1, 2010, said the ministry in a statement posted on its website.

A "sunset review" is obligatory under the World Trade Organization Anti-dumping Agreement and generally implemented by WTO members.

If the review confirms the cancellation of anti-dumping measures will result in further dumping and damages, trade institutions may decide to renew the anti-dumping measures for another five years.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2009)