BEIJING (REUTERS) - China levied final anti-dumping duties on the chemical resorcinol imported from the United States and Japan, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday, marking the latest in a series of tariffs on imported chemicals.

The wave of anti-dumping duties, also previously targeted at the European Union, have strained ties between China and countries that export chemicals.

The United States and the European Union have ratcheted up protection for domestic products in response to what they see as unfairly subsidised imports from China.

Japanese companies Sumitomo Chemical Co. and Mitsui Chemicals Inc. both face duties of 40.5 per cent on resorcinol, which is used to produce rubber adhesives, dyes and cosmetics, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Other Japanese companies exporting the chemical face duties in the same amount, the ministry said.

The American INDSPEC Chemical Corp, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp faces duties of 30.1 percent.

Other US companies also face a tariff in the same amount.

The Ministry of Commerce's decision concludes an investigation into the product that began March 25.

In mid-March, China issued final anti-dumping duties on toluene di-isocyanate, used in the production of polyurethane, plastics and rubber, imported from the European Union.