SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On August 12, 2025, Commerce published in the Federal Register the AD and CVD orders on brake drums from China.^[1] On January 27, 2026, in response to a request from Webb Wheel Products, Inc. (Webb, a domestic interested party), Commerce initiated a country-wide circumvention inquiry pursuant to section 781(d) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), to determine whether imports of CGI brake drums from China constitute later-developed merchandise that is circumventing the Orders and, accordingly, should be covered by the scope of the Orders.^[2]

On April 20, 2026, Commerce selected, in alphabetical order: (1) CAIEC Trailer Master Co., Ltd. (CAIEC Trailer); (2) Kara CVS Inc. (Kara); and (3) Trailer MASTER CVS INC (Trailer Master), as mandatory respondents in this circumvention inquiry.^[3] On May 13, 2026, Commerce extended the deadline to issue its preliminary determination by 60 days.^[4] On July 30, 2026, Commerce extended the deadline to issue its preliminary determination by an additional 23 days.^[5] Accordingly, the deadline for this preliminary ( printed page 60083) determination is now September 17, 2026.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this circumvention inquiry, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[6] The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at access.trade.gov/​frnotices.

Scope of the Orders

The merchandise covered by these Orders is certain brake drums made of gray cast iron, whether finished or unfinished, with an actual or nominal inside diameter of 14.75 inches or more but not over 16.6 inches, weighing more than 50 pounds. For a full description of the scope of the Orders, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[7]

Merchandise Subject to the Circumvention Inquiry

The circumvention inquiry covers CGI brake drums with an actual or nominal inside diameter of 14.75 inches or more but not over 16.6 inches, weighing more than 50 pounds, that are produced in China and exported to the United States, including, for example, model number M328D557 produced by PanAsia CVS (HK) Limited (inquiry merchandise).

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this circumvention inquiry in accordance with section 781(d) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.226(k). For a complete description of the methodology underlying the preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as the appendix to this notice.

Preliminary Circumvention Determination

As detailed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum, Commerce preliminarily determines that CGI brake drums from China constitute later-developed merchandise that is circumventing the Orders on a country-wide basis. As a result, in accordance with section 781(d) of the Act, we preliminarily determine that this merchandise should be included within the scope of the Orders. See the “Suspension of Liquidation and Cash Deposit Requirements” section below for details regarding suspension of liquidation and cash deposit requirements.

Suspension of Liquidation and Cash Deposit Requirements

Based on the preliminary affirmative country-wide determination of circumvention, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.226(l)(2), Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation on unliquidated entries of CGI brake drums from China that were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after January 27, 2026, the date of publication of the Initiation Notice.^[8] Commerce also intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits for estimated antidumping and countervailing duties at the rates applicable to the AD and CVD Orders on brake drums from China ( i.e., the AD cash deposit rate established for the China-wide entity (150.25 percent) ^[9] and the CVD cash deposit rate established for all-others (11.94 percent)).^[10] For companies with their own company-specific rate under the Orders, the cash deposit rate will be the company-specific rate.

These suspension of liquidation requirements and cash deposit requirements will remain in effect until further notice.

Public Comment

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.226(f)(4), case briefs or other written comments should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 14 days after the date of the publication of this notice.^[11] Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after the deadline for case briefs.^[12] Parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.^[13]

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.^[14] Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this proceeding. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).^[15]

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register , filed electronically via ACCESS. Hearing requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of the issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to issues raised in the respective comments.^[16] If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be determined and will notify the parties through ACCESS.^[17] Parties should confirm the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

All submissions, including affirmative and rebuttal comments, as well as hearing requests, should be filed using ACCESS. An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the established deadline.

U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

Consistent with section 781(e) of the Act, Commerce will notify the ITC of this preliminary determination to ( printed page 60084) include the merchandise subject to this circumvention inquiry within the Orders. Pursuant to section 781(e) of the Act, the ITC may request consultations concerning Commerce's proposed inclusion of the inquiry merchandise. If, after consultations, the ITC believes that a significant injury issue is presented by the proposed inclusion, it will have 60 days from the date of notification by Commerce to provide written advice.

Notification to Interested Parties

This determination is issued and published in accordance with section 781(d) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.226(g)(1).

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Scope of the Orders

IV. Merchandise Subject to the Circumvention Inquiry

V. Period of Circumvention Inquiry

VI. Statutory and Regulatory Framework

VII. Comments and Analysis

VIII. Country-Wide Affirmative Determination of Circumvention

IX. Recommendation

91 FR 60082