Chinese household electrical appliance producers are suffering from high penalty tariffs from a television anti-dumping charge in Turkey, and the threat of new anti-dumping measures against air conditioners in the country.

The Turkish Government recently charged 46 Chinese colour television producers of dumping in the Turkish market, and decided to collect penalty tariffs of 50 percent. None of the Chinese television makers were accorded market economy treatment, while the price for Turkish enterprises remained the same.

Wu Shanying, a senior official with Skyworth, a major television maker in China, said the duty was too high for the company to make a profit in this market.

He said that the anti-dumping complaint filed by their Turkish rivals was simply intended to elbow them out of the market.

"Only a small number of television makers responded to the investigation, probably because most of the producers regard Turkey as a small market," said an official with China Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.

According to the chamber, the Turkish Government is also setting up an anti-dumping investigation against air conditioners made in China, acting upon a complaint filed by the Turkish domestic industry.

Chinese enterprises should finish the questionnaires and submit them to the Turkish side within 37 days once the case is officially launched, the chamber said in a statement.

The chamber is working to keep enterprises informed of the latest situation, and helping them with their responses.

"Chinese companies involved in anti-dumping charges overseas should make active responses so as to win themselves market economy treatment and favorable rulings," said Fu Donghui, a legal expert specializing in anti-dumping at Allbright Law Offices.

(China Daily August 4, 2005)