The United States is expected to raise tariffs on imported Chinese wooden furniture after a dumping investigation prompted by complaints from US manufacturers.

The Wall Street Journal reports that US trade regulators on Thursday could propose as many as nine different tariff rates on the US$1.2 billion worth of dressers, bed frames and nightstands imported from China every year.

Some tariff rates would be applied to individual Chinese manufacturers and others for groups of manufacturers.

The new duties, as part of the largest-ever US antidumping probe against China, could range from zero to 50 percent and could take preliminary effect next week.

(CRI June 18, 2004)