United States trade commission voted Oct. 21, 2026 to keep the extra import duty on Chinese diamond sawblades.
The U.S. International Trade Commission voted on Oct. 21, 2026, to keep the anti-dumping duty on diamond sawblades and their parts from China.
The decision follows the third five-year review of a duty order first issued on Nov. 4, 20091. The Commission published its determination in the Federal Register on Oct. 30, 20262.
In short, nothing changes at the border for Chinese diamond sawblades. Importers keep paying the extra duty, and the order now stays in place for another review cycle.
Who decided to keep the sawblade duty?
Two U.S. agencies share this kind of review. The Department of Commerce looks at whether Chinese makers would sell below fair prices if the duty ended. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), an independent agency that judges harm to U.S. industry, looks at whether U.S. makers would be hurt3.
An anti-dumping duty is an extra import tax on goods sold abroad below their normal price. U.S. law says such an order must end after five years. It stays only if both agencies find that ending it would likely bring back dumping and harm3.
Both agencies have now made that finding. Commerce published its result on July 6, 20264. The USITC made its vote on Oct. 21, 2026, and filed its determination on Oct. 28, 20262.
What did the Commission find?
The USITC found that removing the duty would likely lead to the "continuation or recurrence of material injury" to U.S. makers2. In plain words, it expects Chinese imports to hurt U.S. producers again within a reasonably foreseeable time2.
As a result, the existing anti-dumping duty order on these products from China will remain in place3. Five commissioners voted in favour: Chairman Brett W. Doyle and Commissioners Jason E. Kearns, Peter-Anthony Pappas, Bart Thanhauser and David Foley Jr.3. Commissioner Samuel T. Negatu did not take part3.
The vote was unanimous among those taking part. No commissioner voted to end the order3.
What did Commerce say about prices?
Commerce reviewed the dumping side of the case first. It found that ending the order would likely lead to more dumping4.
Commerce also estimated how deep that dumping could go. It said dumping margins, the gap between the export price and the normal price, could reach up to 164.09% for China4. That figure shows the price gap Commerce expects if the duty disappears.
Commerce based this on a short, fast review. It received a full response from a coalition of U.S. producers. It received no response from any Chinese producer or exporter4.
Why was the review so short?
Each agency can run a full review or an expedited one. A full review includes a public hearing and questionnaires sent to companies3. An expedited review skips the hearing and relies on facts already on file3.
The USITC opened its review on March 2, 20261. It asked interested companies to reply by April 1, 20261. On June 5, 2026, it decided to run an expedited review3.
The reason was the replies it received. U.S. producers gave an adequate response, but the Chinese side did not3. Commerce also ran an expedited 120-day review for the same reason4.
In an expedited review, the Commission bases its decision on the facts available3. These include its earlier decisions, replies to its notice, staff data and information from Commerce3.
Which sawblades does the duty cover?
The order covers finished circular sawblades with diamond segments, slotted or not, of any size5. A segment is the cutting piece made of diamonds and metal powders pressed into a solid shape5. The diamonds may be natural or synthetic5.
What the diamond sawblade order covers
| Item | Covered or not |
|---|---|
| Finished blades with diamond segments | Covered, any size |
| Cores and segments | Covered as unfinished parts |
| Resin or electroplated blades | Not covered |
| Thickness | Not covered under 0.025 or over 1.1 inches |
| Soft cores | Not covered below Rockwell C 25 |
| Fine diamonds | Not covered above mesh size 240 |
Unfinished parts are also covered. These include diamond sawblade cores, which are slotted circular steel plates, and the diamond segments themselves5.
Several products are left out of the order5:
- Bonded blades: blades with diamonds stuck directly to the core with resin or by electroplating, and no segment.
- Very thin or thick blades: blades or cores under 0.025 inches or over 1.1 inches thick.
- Toothed steel blades: steel plates with a non-diamond cutting edge, such as teeth on the outside.
- Soft cores: cores with a Rockwell C hardness below 25.
- Fine-diamond blades: blades or segments whose diamonds mostly have a mesh size number above 240.
The written description decides what is covered, not the tariff code5.
Which tariff codes are used for these goods?
The goods usually enter under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) heading 8202.39.00.005. When sold in a retail set with other hand tools, they may enter under heading 8206.00.00.005.
At the request of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Commerce added more codes to its customs file. Code 6804.21.00.00 was added on Oct. 11, 20115. Codes 8202.39.0040 and 8202.39.0070 were added on Jan. 22, 20155. Codes 6804.21.0010 and 6804.21.0080 followed on Jan. 26, 20155.
How long has the order been in place?
Commerce issued the anti-dumping duty order on Nov. 4, 20091. The order was continued after the first five-year reviews, effective Sept. 18, 20151. It was continued again after the second reviews, effective April 12, 20211.
Life of the duty order
This is the third five-year review of the order1. With both agencies now in agreement, the duty passes its third test since 2009.
What else is Commerce checking on these sawblades?
A separate case is running at the same time. On Oct. 19, 2026, Commerce opened an inquiry into sawblades assembled in the United Kingdom5. The case started with a referral from CBP on Sept. 22, 20265.
The Diamond Sawblades Manufacturers’ Coalition made the original claim to CBP5. It alleged that Dymatec USA, LLC sends Chinese sawblades through its parent company, Dymatec, Ltd., and declares the United Kingdom as the origin5.
Commerce will decide whether the duty applies in three cases5:
- Core and segments both come from China and are joined in the United Kingdom.
- The core comes from China, the segments do not, and they are joined in the United Kingdom.
- The segments come from China, the core does not, and they are joined in the United Kingdom.
Commerce plans a final decision within 120 days of the Oct. 19 notice, though it may extend this5. It may widen the inquiry if it finds evidence about other United Kingdom companies5.
While the case runs, CBP keeps holding final duty settlement on these entries open. Customs collects the cash deposit that would apply if the goods are covered5.
Who is affected by the decision?
U.S. importers of Chinese diamond sawblades keep paying the anti-dumping duty on each shipment. The order stays as it was, so their costs do not change because of this vote3.
Chinese makers and exporters keep facing the duty in the U.S. market. None of them took part in the Commerce review4.
U.S. producers keep the protection of the order. The USITC counts all U.S. makers of diamond sawblades as the domestic industry, including assemblers and parts makers1.
Buyers of blades assembled in third countries may also be affected. The United Kingdom inquiry shows that customs checks where cores and segments come from5.
What happens next for diamond sawblades?
The USITC will publish its full report as USITC Publication 58072. The report will be on the USITC website by Nov. 25, 20263.
After earlier reviews, Commerce published a notice continuing the order1. The first continuation took effect on Sept. 18, 2015, and the second on April 12, 20211.
The United Kingdom inquiry also continues. Interested parties had 30 days from Oct. 19, 2026, to send comments and facts to Commerce5.
Key points on the diamond sawblade duty
The main facts of the decision are below.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What changed? | The duty order stays in place |
| Who decided? | U.S. International Trade Commission |
| When was the vote? | Oct. 21, 2026 |
| When was it published? | Oct. 30, 2026 |
| Which goods? | Diamond sawblades and parts from China |
| Main tariff code | HTSUS 8202.39.00.00 |
| Likely dumping margin | Up to 164.09% |
| Original order date | Nov. 4, 2009 |
| Which review? | Third five-year review |
| Related case | United Kingdom assembly inquiry |
| Next date | USITC report by Nov. 25, 2026 |
Shipments of covered Chinese diamond sawblades keep paying the anti-dumping duty at the U.S. border. The next published step is the USITC’s full report, due by Nov. 25, 20263.
Sources
- ↩ Federal Register :: Diamond Sawblades and Parts Thereof From China; Institution of a Five-Year Review https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/02/2026-04069/diamond-sawblades-and-parts-thereof-from-china-institution-of-a-five-year-review
- ↩ 2026-22167.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-30/pdf/2026-22167.pdf
- ↩ USITC Makes Determination in Five-Year (Sunset) Review Concerning Diamond Sawblades and Parts Thereof from China | United States International Trade Commission https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2026/er1021_69376.htm
- ↩ 2026-13573.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-06/pdf/2026-13573.pdf
- ↩ 2026-21281.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-10-19/pdf/2026-21281.pdf