Biden Administration Levies Heavy Tariffs On Chinese Imports

He said, “I want fair competition with China, not conflict. We are in a stronger position to win that economic competition of the 21st century against China than anyone else"

US President Joe Biden has implemented heavy tariffs on various Chinese imports, including electric vehicles, batteries, steel, solar cells, and aluminium. The move aims to safeguard American workers from unfair trade practices and ensure they are not hindered in the market. These tariffs comprise a 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicles, a 50 per cent tariff on semiconductors, and a 25 per cent tariff each on electric vehicle batteries originating from China.

During his speech from the Rose Garden of the White House, Biden emphasised that Americans are free to purchase any vehicle they prefer. However, he stressed that China will not be permitted to dominate the car market unfairly. “But we’re never going to allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. Period,” he said.

He asserted, “I want fair competition with China, not conflict. We are in a stronger position to win that economic competition of the 21st century against China than anyone else because we’re investing in America again.”

Biden accused the Chinese government of consistently funnelling state funds into various industries, including steel, aluminium, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar panels, and essential health equipment like gloves and masks. He asserted that China heavily subsidised these products, leading Chinese companies to overproduce beyond global demand. Subsequently, he claimed that China flooded the market with surplus products at unfairly low prices, forcing manufacturers worldwide out of business.

Biden asserted that the prices are unfairly low because Chinese companies are not concerned about profitability, as they receive heavy subsidies from the Chinese government. He also stated that China employs other anti-competitive tactics, such as forcing American companies to transfer their technology to conduct business in China.

Biden emphasised that the new tariffs he announced in critical sectors of the economy will ensure that unfair trade practices do not hinder US workers. He noted that American companies are investing significant sums of tens of billions of dollars in electric vehicles and their batteries. “Our partners around the world are making similar investments. They also want a supply chain for electric vehicles that isn’t dominated by unfair trade practices from China,” he added.

Biden criticised his predecessor, Donald Trump, for his approach toward China Policy. “My predecessor promised to increase American exports and boost manufacturing. But he didn’t either. He failed. He signed a trade deal with China. They were supposed to buy USD 200 billion more in American goods. Instead, China imports from America barely budged,” he claimed.

“And now, Trump and his MAGA Republicans want across-the-board tariffs on all imports from all countries if reelected. Well, that would drive up costs for families on an average of $1,500 per year each year. He simply doesn’t get it,” he added.

During a White House news briefing, US Trade Representative Katherine Tie remarked that the trade agreement struck by the previous administration with China did not result in a rise in American exports or manufacturing growth. Tie pointed out that China's exports in vital sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries experienced an increase.

“In response, President Biden signed a memorandum directing me to increase tariffs on critical manufacturing and mining sectors, including steel and aluminium, semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells, and certain critical minerals,” she said.

The increased tariffs will likely affect about $18 billion worth of trade. Additionally, the president has initiated a procedure to seek exemptions for specific production machinery from these tariffs. This move aims to enable manufacturers in the solar and clean energy sectors to procure equipment while broadening their range of suppliers.

Tie plans to issue a public notice next week detailing the specific tariff lines, tariff rates, and timeline for the proposed increases. The notice will also provide information about the process for exclusions of machinery.