The China Leather Association stated that nine Chinese leather shoe producers have been selected by the European Union (EU) for a model survey for an anti-dumping charge.
A senior official of the association, Su Chaoying informed that the survey is only a preliminary one.
The association and the chamber of commerce are consulting with enterprises preparing to give feedback to the EU, he added.
The sampling includes five companies in Guangdong Province, two in Fujian Province, one in Zhejiang Province and one in Liaoning Province. All these companies are major footwear vendors, both at home and abroad.
A source close to the commerce ministry said that the chamber of commerce of this sector was expected to suggest the EU consider the allocation of the enterprises as well as the categories of products. They hope that more companies will be chosen.
The EU is expected to publish the final sampling results this week.
According to its procedures, EU officials may conduct September surveys on the chosen Chinese shoe producers, and decide whether to grant the economic treatment to Chinese firms that responded to the charge.
The case against Chinese leather shoes, which involves a value of US$730 million, is the largest anti-dumping charge encountered in the past decade.
So far, over 110 leather shoe producers have responded to the EU charge, Su said. The chamber of commerce will appeal to the EU for non-material injury to the industry.
