The US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled Friday that Chinese manufacturers are dumping bedroom furniture in the US market at unfairly low prices and damaging US producers.

The ITC said that "there is a reasonable indication that a US industry is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China that is allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value."

The ITC ruled on a petition from about 30 US manufacturers of wood bedroom furniture, claiming the artificially low prices on Chinese imports were hurting US producers.

The ruling requires the US Commerce Department to start an investigation to determine an appropriate level of offsetting duties.

Meanwhile, the decision also sparked an immediate reaction from US furniture retailers, who formed their own coalition aimed at averting the tariffs.

The newly formed Furniture Retailers of America called the new trade action "ill-conceived and damaging" for the United States.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2004)