BEIJING, July 29 -- China's Ministry of Commerce announced Monday that it has started an anti-dumping investigation into imported meta-Cresol from the United States, the European Union and Japan.

On June 20, the ministry received an application from a domestic company, who accused foreign manufacturers of dumping meta-Cresol products in the Chinese market, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

The investigation is expected to end before July 29, 2020, but may be extended until Jan. 29, 2021, the statement said.