Agencies
The United States locked in tariff hikes on billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods Friday, with a 100 per cent duty on electric vehicles and 25 per cent on EV batteries taking effect in two weeks.
The White House announced the steep tariff increases in May, targeting key sectors including EVs, semiconductors, batteries and solar cells - drawing a fiery response from Beijing.
It also comes ahead of November’s presidential election, where both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to show a tough stance on China as competition between both countries intensifies.
“Today’s finalized tariff increases will target the harmful policies and practices of the People’s Republic of China that continue to impact American workers and businesses,” said US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in a
statement.
Apart from tariff increases that take effect later this month including those on solar cells, the US Trade Representative’s office confirmed that a 50 percent duty on semiconductors - a sharp rise from before - would start in 2025.
