Duties for Chinese Furniture Backed

A U.S. trade panel Friday approved anti-dumping duties of up to 198% on $1.2 billion worth of wooden bedroom furniture from China.

The U.S. International Trade Commission voted 6 to 0 to declare that low-priced imports from China were a threat to domestic producers. The action clears the way for the Commerce Department to issue a final anti-dumping order on the imports by the end of the year.

China has complained that the duties violate World Trade Organization rules. The case was the largest U.S. anti-dumping action yet against China. It has split the U.S. furniture industry, with most manufacturers strongly in favor of the duties and most retailers against them.