WASHINGTON, April 4 -- A U.S. government agency decided on Friday to maintain the existing antidumping duty on crawfish tail meat from China, despite Beijing's repeated calls for Washington to drop protectionism.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) said in a ruling that revoking the current antidumping duty orders on crawfish tail meat from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

It has been the third "sunset review" since September, 1997, when the duty was introduced. The duty margin on the products from China runs from 91.50 percent to 201.63 percent, the commission said.

A "sunset review" was conducted every five years after anti- dumping duties were introduced. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the U.S. Department of Commerce to revoke an anti-dumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the department and the ITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies and of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged the United States to abide by its commitment against trade protectionism and work together with China and other members of the international community to maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.