Review of China tariffs won’t depend on trade ‘breakthrough’: US trade department

DETROIT - The United States is taking an analytical approach to its review of whether to keep tariffs on Chinese goods in place and will not base outcomes on any “breakthrough” in US-China trade relations, deputy US Trade Representative (USTR) Sarah Bianchi told Reuters.

The Biden administration is not assuming any such breakthrough will happen, but will continue dialogue with China at various levels, Ms Bianchi said during an interview on Saturday as a ministerial meeting of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework talks wrapped up.

The USTR is continuing to study industry and stakeholder comments on the duties and consulting with the US Commerce Department, the Treasury and other agencies to determine which categories make strategic sense, she said.

“We’re taking a look at what’s economically sound,” added Ms Bianchi, who oversees USTR’s engagement in Asia.

Former US president Donald Trump imposed tariffs in 2018 and 2019 on thousands of imports from China valued at some US$370 billion (S$500 billion) at the time, after an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 found that China was misappropriating US intellectual property and coercing US companies to transfer sensitive technology to do business.

The duties range from 7.5 per cent on many consumer goods to 25 per cent on vehicles, industrial components, semiconductors and other electronics. Among the major categories that escaped tariffs were cellphones, laptop computers and video-game consoles.

The review was required by Section 301 four years after the tariffs were first imposed, and this started with initial notification steps in May 2022.

Ms Bianchi declined to say when the review would be completed, but added that this was “reasonable” by the end of 2023.

Tariff exclusions on 352 import categories from China were extended by USTR at the end of 2022 for another nine months and are now set to expire on Sept 30.

Some trade experts in Washington view that date as a possible decision point in the tariff review.

Inflation arguments

As the review got under way in May 2022, some White House officials argued in favour of lifting some tariffs as the Biden administration struggled to contain high inflation.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that eliminating “non-strategic” tariffs would reduce costs for specific goods, while Trade Representative Katherine Tai argued that the duties represent “significant leverage” over China.

Ms Bianchi noted that inflation-related discussions over the tariffs have died down as inflation in the US has eased.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao raised the Section 301 tariffs as an issue of concern during a meeting with Ms Tai in Detroit on Friday on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade meeting.

Mr Wang’s meeting with Ms Tai and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo the day before were the first Cabinet-level exchanges between Washington and Beijing in months amid a series of setbacks in the trade and national security areas.

These include the US downing of a Chinese spy balloon that transited the continental US.

Ms Bianchi said it was important to the global economy for the US and China to maintain a healthy dialogue, even if they disagree.

“These are the two largest economies in the world and we need to be talking at different levels, even if they’re difficult conversations,” she said.

“On trade right now, there aren’t many similar perspectives,” she said of the US and China.

“I’m not sure where it will lead, but I think the conversations will continue to be difficult, but I think it’s important that we have them.” REUTERS