Until mid-May, the Energy Department enthusiastically supported the uranium industry in its suit for steep punitive duties on all imports of uranium from the republics.

China's Forestry Department eliminated steep duties on imported breeder crocodiles nearly a decade ago.

Thinking the time was right and the new Administration sympathetic, it had spent serious money preparing to file complaints seeking steep duties on imported cars.

For this reason, American companies that use steel are already becoming leery of doing business with foreign steelmakers for fear of later being stuck with paying steep duties.

China has called on the Bush administration to reverse a decision to impose steep duties on Chinese exports of coated paper, state-controlled news media reported during the weekend.

Lawmakers have proposed steep duties on Chinese exports unless China takes immediate action to end government subsidies to industries and to allow its currency to rise faster against the dollar.

International The Detroit auto makers decided not to file unfair trade complaints seeking steep new duties on imported cars.

In a ruling that will mean steep duties on portable Japanese word processors, the International Trade Commission determined that their sale in the U.S. below fair market value had hurt American producers.

The ball bearing industry, an aggressive user of American trade laws that has persuaded the Commerce Department to impose steep anti-dumping duties on imports from nine countries, has mostly supported the agreement.

The decision, which moves the department toward steep, permanent duties on the imported boards, studs and beams, further chilled the United States' frosty relations with the country's largest trading partner.