The U.S. government determined on Thursday it would maintain the existing antidumping duty on lined paper school supplies 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 order on imports of Chinese lined paper school supplies would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. All six commissioners voted in the affirmative.

This is the first five-year (sunset) review since Sept. 28, 2006 when the duty was first introduced. As a result of ITC's affirmative determination, the existing order on imports of this product from China will remain in force. The duty margin runs at 76.70 percent to 258.21 percent. Lined paper products are typically school supplies that feature straight horizontal or vertical lines on 10 or more paper sheets like notebooks.

The U.S. move came under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. It 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 be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies and of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

Trade tensions with China are a particularly sensitive issue as the United States is trying to boost its exports to revitalize a flagging economy and slash the unemployment rate.

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