The U.S. Commerce Department announced Wednesday that it initiated anti-dumping duty (AD) investigation against imports of large residential washing machines from China.

The investigations are in response to a request from Whirlpool Corporation based in the state of Michigan.

Whirlpool alleged that the products from China were sold below the fair value of the products in the U.S. market with dumping margin from 68.92 percent to 109.04 percent.

The International Trade Commission (ITC), the U.S. trade authority, was scheduled to make its preliminary inquiry determinations on AD around February.

The probe will continue if the ITC determines that the imports of such products from China materially injure or threaten the domestic industry of the States. The Commerce Department will then make its preliminary determinations of AD in May this year.

Imports of these products from China were estimated at about 899.4 million U.S. dollars in 2014, according to U.S. official data.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has kept urging Washington to abide by its commitment against protectionism and help maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.