China's commerce ministry said Friday that it had started an anti-subsidy investigation into polyphenylene ether imports from the United States.

The probe was launched following a request by the Nantong Xingchen Synthetic Material Co., Ltd., on behalf of the domestic polyphenylene ether industry, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website.

Polyphenylene ether is a polymer with good heat resistance, dimensional stability and mechanical properties. It is used in photovoltaic, electronics and automobile industries.

The investigation is expected to end before August 14, 2021, but could be extended until February 14, 2022, the statement said.