U.S. President Biden plans new China tariffs targeting key sectors

Shafaq News/ U.S. President Joe Biden is poised to unveil fresh tariffs on China, focusing on industries such as electric vehicles, insiders familiar with the matter disclosed to Reuters.

The formal announcement, slated for as early as next Tuesday, is anticipated to uphold existing tariffs, with adjustments expected in specific sectors, as per one of the sources. However, the announcement timeline remains fluid, subject to potential delays.

Among the sectors are semiconductors and solar equipment, as indicated by one of the sources. The precise details regarding tariff values or categories remain vague. However, per one of the sources, the administration has honed in on strategic areas aligning with competitive and national security interests.

Recommendations from the U.S. Trade Representative's office were submitted to the White House weeks ago. Nonetheless, the final announcement was postponed amid internal deliberations, according to insiders.

Biden's administration, seeking to differentiate itself from former President Donald Trump's broad tariff proposals, views across-the-board tariffs as overly simplistic and inflation-triggering, White House officials revealed.

Both the White House and the U.S. Trade Representative's office declined to comment on the matter. Bloomberg News initially broke the story.

These anticipated measures could provoke retaliatory actions from China amid heightened bilateral tensions. During his presidency, Trump's expansive tariff policies led to reciprocal tariffs from China.

Ntably, Biden has emphasized a desire to avoid a trade war with China while acknowledging heightened competition between the two nations.