Trump eyes tariffs on up to $60 bln Chinese goods

WASHINGTON/BEIJING-Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of Chinese imports and will target the technology and telecommunications sectors, two people who had discussed the issue with the Trump administration said on March 13.

A third source who had direct knowledge of the administration’s thinking said the tariffs, associated with a “Section 301” intellectual property investigation, under the 1974 U.S. Trade Act begun in August last year, could come “in the very near future.”

While the tariffs would be chiefly targeted at information technology, consumer electronics and telecoms, they could be much broader and the list could eventually run to 100 products, this person said.

The White House declined to comment on the size or timing of any move.

‘Zero-sum game should be avoided’

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Sino-U.S. trade relations should not be a zero-sum game, and that the two countries should use “constructive” means to manage tension.

“We have said many times that China resolutely opposes any kind of unilateral protectionist trade measures,” Lu told reporters.

“If the United States takes actions that harm China’s interests, China will have to take measures to firmly protect our legitimate rights.”

Trump is targeting Chinese high technology companies to punish China for its investment policies that effectively force U.S. companies to give up their technology secrets in exchange for being allowed to operate in the country, as well as for other IP practices Washington considers unfair.

The Trump administration is also considering imposing investment restrictions on Chinese companies over and above the heightened national security restrictions, but details on these were not immediately known. A U.S. Treasury spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But lobbyists in Washington expressed concern that Trump’s ambitious tariff plan would also include other labor-intensive consumer goods sectors such as apparel, footwear and toys.

‘Alarms ringing’

Higher tariffs on these products would “hurt American families,” said Hun Quach, a trade lobbyist for the Retail Industry Leaders Association.

“We’re not talking about fancy cashmere sweaters, we’re talking about cotton T-Shirts and jeans and shoes that kids wear for back-to-school,” she added.

“Alarm bells are ringing.”

China runs a $375 billion trade surplus with the United States and when President Xi Jinping’s top economic adviser visited Washington recently, the administration pressed him to come up with a way of reducing that number.

Trump came to office on a promise to shield American workers from imports and his first action as president was to pull the United States out of the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.