FACTBOX: Sino-U.S. trade disputes pile up

BEIJING (Reuters) - Trade rows between the United States and China will be a key issue on the agenda when President Barack Obama holds talks with Chinese leaders in Shanghai and Beijing this week.

Here are some of the disputes dogging China-U.S. trade:

STEEL PIPES

The U.S. Commerce Department this month slapped preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging up to 99 percent on $2.63 billion in Chinese-made oil well pipe in the biggest U.S. trade action against China. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce denounced the move as protectionist and launched its own investigation into imports of U.S.-made automobiles.

China has also filed a World Trade Organization challenge to U.S. anti-dumping duties on certain types of steel pipes, pneumatic off-road tires and woven sacks. China is increasingly turning to the WTO to keep markets open to its products.

COPPER PIPES LOOM

Last week, the U.S. International Trade Commission voted to back a Commerce Department probe into whether China and Mexico have been selling seamless refined copper pipe and tube in the United States at unfairly low prices.

U.S. producers have asked for "anti-dumping" duties of 60.50 percent on the seamless refined copper pipe imports from China estimated to be worth about $446.3 million in 2008.

TYRES

The Obama administration imposed safeguard duties on Chinese-made tires in September, after a complaint by unions that low-priced Chinese imports were forcing U.S. factories to close. China requested consultations on the duties, a preliminary step toward a WTO complaint. The duty of 35 percent took effect on September 26 and added to an existing 4 percent duty. The extra duty would fall to 30 percent in the second year and 25 percent in the third year.

POULTRY

China launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of U.S. chicken parts and automotive parts, in response to the U.S. tire duties. U.S. breeders like Tyson Foods Inc sell chicken feet and wings, not consumed in the United States, to China where they are delicacies, helping pad their profit margin on each chicken.

BLANKETS, BRICK

A U.S. trade panel in August approved an investigation into whether imports of electric blankets made in China materially injured or threatened to injure U.S. manufacturers. On September 11, the U.S. International Trade Commission recommended the U.S. Department of Commerce conduct a countervailing duty and anti-dumping duty investigation into Chinese-made magnesia carbon brick, a steelmaking material.

RAW MATERIALS

The European Union and the United States are arguing to the WTO that Chinese export restrictions, including taxes and quotas, on several raw materials unfairly elevate the international price, while keeping input prices cheaper for manufacturers in China.

DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

In August, a WTO panel found in favor of the United States, which claimed that Chinese curbs on importing and distributing foreign publications and audiovisual products violated its WTO commitments. China may appeal. Both the United States and China claimed victory earlier this year when a WTO panel found China had failed to protect and enforce intellectual property rights, but rejected the U.S. contention that China sets the threshold for prosecuting piracy so high that it is ineffective.

GRANTS, LOANS AND OTHER INCENTIVES

The United States, Mexico and Guatemala requested WTO consultations regarding certain grants, loans and other incentives to encourage exports of Chinese brands.

(Editing by Dean Yates)