As reported in May, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published the list of products from China that will be subject to Section 301 tariffs. Citing unfair policies and practices related to the transfer of technology and intellectual property rights, the administration released a statement confirming United States commitment to bringing balance to trade relations with China.
Covering 1,102 tariff lines, the $50 billion in trade value focuses on goods that contribute to the “Made in China 2025” policy and focuses on industries such as aerospace, communication & information technologies, robotics, industrial machinery, new materials, and automobiles (excluding cell phones and televisions).
Implementation has been split between two sets of lists; the first, containing 818 lines covering $34 billion worth of imports, will receive additional duties of 25 percent starting July 6, 2018. The remaining $16 billion, 284 tariff lines, will undergo further review for public notice and comment. For U.S. companies seeking the exclusion of particular products, the USTR will publish details of the process in the next few weeks.
In regards to expected retaliation, the White House confirmed:
“The United States will pursue additional tariffs if China engages in retaliatory measures, such as imposing new tariffs on United States goods, services, or agricultural products; raising non-tariff barriers; or taking punitive actions against American exporters or American companies operating in China.”
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