(File photo)

BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce on Monday announced the final ruling on an investigation into sugar imports, deciding to begin 3-year duty on out-of-quota shipments to protect the domestic industry.

The duty will be set at 45 percent from May 22, 2017 to May 21, 2018, and be reduced to 40 percent then 35 percent in each subsequent year, according to the ministry's statement on its website.

The investigation, launched last year in response to pleas by the domestic industry, found that increasing imports were causing serious harm to local producers.

World Trade Organization members may take measures to protect their domestic industries from any increase in imports which causes, or threatens to cause, serious problems for local producers.

The duties do not cover imports within the quota of 1.95 million tonnes for 2017.

Last year, China imported 3.06 million tonnes of sugar, down 36.8 percent from 2015.