US trade chief Tai praises Canada’s steep new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, metals By Reuters

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday strongly supported Canada’s decision to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles and 25 percent on Chinese steel and aluminum as it finalizes U.S. tariffs planned at similar rates.

In a statement issued by his office, Tai applauded Canada’s decision to take firm action against China’s “non-market, unfair and anti-competitive policies and practices that threaten the existence of our market-oriented industries.”

She said this was an important step to ensure that Canadian workers and companies can compete fairly in the electric vehicle, steel and aluminum industries.

“We share Canada’s concerns about the PRC’s unfair, non-market policies and practices and its failure to respect labor rights, enforce environmental protection and promote fair, market-oriented competition,” Tai said, using the acronym for the People’s Republic of China. .

Canada announced Tuesday it will impose tariffs starting Oct. 1, including on electric vehicles made in China by U.S.-based Tesla (NASDAQ: ) to counter what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called intentional, state-directed policies of China, which have created excess production capacity in these industries.

The move comes as the US Trade Representative is set to announce final implementation plans by the end of August for tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including 100% tariffs on electric vehicles, 50% on semiconductors and cells solar and 25% for lithium-ion batteries.

Many U.S. companies have called for reduced tariffs and expanded exclusions, but a U.S. official told Reuters in Beijing that he expected the Biden-Harris administration to press ahead with its well-publicized intentions on tariffs.