The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Thursday that it will levy anti-dumping duties on photographic paper imported from the EU, the United States and Japan, saying the imports have caused "material damage" to the industry in China.

The anti-dumping measures will last for five years beginning Friday, the MOC said in a statement on its website.

The duty rates range from 16.2 percent to 28 8 percent, depending on the dumping margin, or the difference between the average value of the product in its country of origin and its export price, the MOC said.

The ruling is final, according to the MOC.

China launched an anti-dumping probe into photographic paper imported from the EU, the United States and Japan on December 23, 2010, in response to an application filed by domestic photographic paper producers.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2012)