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

BEIJING Feb 5 (Reuters) - The United States and China are engaged in a series of trade disputes, particularly over the value of the Chinese currency, with President Barack Obama this week vowing to get tough in dealing with complaints that U.S. exporters are at a disadvantage.

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

POULTRY

China will levy heavy anti-dumping duties on U.S. chicken products ahead of its new year holiday on Feb. 13, a move likely to antagonise one of the few U.S. industries that profitably exports to China. [ID:nTOE61402H]

U.S. breeders like Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) sell chicken feet and wings, virtually worthless in the U.S. market, to China, where they are hugely popular, helping pad their profit margin on each chicken.

China's Commerce Ministry announced the duties on Friday, a day after it requested a World Trade Organisation ruling on European Union duties on shoes made in China. [ID:nTOE613091]

TYRES

China has taken its case over U.S. tyre duties to the WTO, arguing that the 35 percent additional duty imposed is unjustified protectionism. [ID:nLDE60I1H8]

The Obama administration imposed safeguard duties on Chinese-made tyres in September after a complaint by unions that low-priced Chinese imports were forcing U.S. factories to close. [ID:nSP459289].

STEEL PIPES

The U.S. Commerce Department in November slapped preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging up to 99 percent on $2.63 billion worth of 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. [ID:nSP112171]

COPPER PIPES LOOM

The U.S. International Trade Commission in November 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. [ID:nN13473149]

U.S. producers have asked for "anti-dumping" duties of 60.5 percent on the seamless refined copper pipe imports from China estimated to be worth about $446.3 million in 2008.

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 Sept. 11, the U.S. International Trade Commission recommended the 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 raise international prices, while keeping input costs lower for manufacturers in China. [ID:nN0415939]

DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

In December, China lost an appeal against a WTO ruling that its curbs on importing and distributing foreign publications and audiovisual products violated its WTO commitments. The case was initially brought by the United States. [ID:nTOE5BL04R]