U.S. Industry Groups Seek Hearing On Biden's China Tariff Hikes

A wide swath of pro-trade US business groups has asked the Biden administration for another month to comment on plans to impose steeper tariffs on Chinese imports of electric vehicles, batteries, solar products, and other goods, effectively delaying the Aug. 1 start date for many of the duties, David Lawder and David Shepardson reported for Reuters.

President Joe Biden last month announced the tariff hikes to protect US manufacturers in strategic sectors from Chinese excess industrial capacity that is flooding global markets with exports. I Photo: Gage Skidmore Flickr

The group of 173 trade associations organized under the "Americans for Free Trade" umbrella said in a letter to the US Trade Representative's Office, seen by Reuters on Friday, that a 30-day extension in a public comment period until July 28 was "in the public interest."

The group, representing manufacturers, retailers, technology firms, agribusiness groups, energy companies, and transport firms, also requested that the USTR hold a public hearing on the matter, as it did in 2017 and 2018 for prior tariffs.

President Joe Biden last month announced the tariff hikes to protect US manufacturers in strategic sectors from Chinese excess industrial capacity that is flooding global markets with exports.

The USTR later announced a short, 30-day public comment period, with a quadrupling of duties on Chinese EVs to over 100% and a doubling of semiconductor duties to 50%, scheduled to start on Aug. 1, 2024.

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