Biden hiking tariffs on Chinese EVs, solar cells, steel, aluminum -- adding to tensions with Beijing
Source: AP
By JOSH BOAK, FATIMA HUSSEIN, PAUL WISEMAN and DIDI TANG
Updated 4:36 AM CDT, May 14, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration announced plans to slap new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment an election-year move thats likely to increase friction between the worlds two largest economies.
The tariffs come in the middle of a heated campaign between President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, in which both candidates are vying to show whos tougher on China.
The tariffs are unlikely to have much of an inflationary impact because of how theyre structured. Administration officials said they think the tariffs wont escalate tensions with China, yet they expect that China will explore ways to respond to the new taxes on their products. Its uncertain what the long-term impact on prices could be if the tariffs contribute to a wider trade dispute.
The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel and aluminum and more. There are currently very few EVs from China in the U.S., but officials worry that low-priced models made possible by Chinese government subsidies could soon start flooding the U.S. market.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/biden-china-tariffs-electric-vehicles-evs-solar-2024ba735c47e04a50898a88425c5e2c
AZLD4Candidate
(6,120 posts)1: Massive tariffs on everything
2: Lower the amount of time allowed in the States on their B1-B2 tourist from six months to three months
3: Not allow Chinese driver's licenses to be valid on the roads here.
4: Require all Chinese people to register their address within 24 hours unless they stay in a hotel
5: Require certification to allow Chinese citizens to stay at hotels and prevent them from staying in hotels not certified to accept them.
6: Random police checks to check for drug use, valid visa, and proper address registration.
7: Monitor completely their communication as all foreigners (except those considered VIPs) are consider potential spies by the authorities.
Sorry, but after living there as long as I did, we need to get serious with the CCP. And, if you listen to these wu mao, tu hao, and fu er dai that come here, they look down on us in their language knowing most of us won't understand them.
I do understand them, and when I hear it, I lace into them hard with the same BS they give to foreigners in China (when in Rome, this is our culture. This is our country. Don't like it, leave. No one wants you here, etc).
To the brainwashed CCP trolls, when in China, we need to give them the utmost respect because we are guests. When they are here, we need to give them the utmost respect and be good hosts because they are guests.
GB_RN
(2,951 posts)In my experiences with Chinese students here, they were all nothing but gracious. Granted, my MBA days were over 20 years ago, and that could just have been the face they put on for us.
I have to wonder what my sister-in-laws experiences were when she was working to help set up Duke Universitys campus there, Duke Kunshan University. My guess is that they probably put on a good show for her and everyone else from Duke.
AZLD4Candidate
(6,120 posts)Now, travel around and you'll get called 洋垃圾 to your face
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catsudon
(868 posts)Taiwanese students are more open then chinese students in practice.
GB_RN
(2,951 posts)My experiences with Chinese grad students was, for the most part, over 20 years ago. Granted, the CCP was running the show then as well, but I dont think they were as paranoid and harsh as they are now under Xi Jin-Pingpong.
That being said, I am not disputing anything either of you have said, especially AZ, as I am well aware of his situation and experiences.
Im also aware that 20 years tends to soften memories of things. That is especially true for things that were mostly on the periphery, as China was for me at the time. School, 9/11, Afghanistan and the emotional aftermath of it all, which we were all experiencing, kinda sucked up all the oxygen in the room, as it were.
catsudon
(868 posts)I don't understand why they have no problems banning US apps in China and yet cry foul when we try to ban tik-tok.
I will never set foot in China as long as CCP is still there.
If I want to enjoy song dynasty chinese culture, i'll visit south korea
If I want to enjoy tang dynasty chinese culture, i'll visit Japan.
For everything else, Taiwan.
rockfordfile
(8,725 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(59,870 posts)By Trevor Hunnicutt
May 14, 202410:33 AM EDT Updated an hour ago
WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled a bundle of steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports including electric vehicle (EV) batteries, computer chips and medical products, risking an election-year standoff with Beijing in a bid to woo voters who give his economic policies low marks.
China immediately vowed retaliation. Its commerce ministry said Beijing was opposed to the U.S. tariff hikes and would take measures to defend its interests.
{snip}
walkingman
(8,117 posts)If US auto manufacturers produced affordable EVs the American consumer would jump on them.
The only hope we have in fighting Climate Change is to move away from fossil fuels based transportation as soon as possible. This only makes it more difficult.
Bad move based on short-term politics that will backfire.
everyonematters
(3,524 posts)puts downward pressure on wages here. It is one of the policies that has contributed to the decline of the middle class over the past decades. However, it took a good deal of time to get in this situation and it will take time to fix it. It is like putting toothpaste back in the tube.
walkingman
(8,117 posts)is increasing productivity and/or building a vehicle that consumers want and can afford.
The government picking winners and losers with tariffs might reduce trade deficits but not deficits in general. This always leads to attacking spending and what is the first things that is cut? The social safety net because corporate profits always trump (no pun intended) policies that help the American consumer.
If auto manufacturers are unable or unwilling to build a vehicle that consumers want and can afford, they need to feel the pain.
everyonematters
(3,524 posts)It's not the products. It's not about closing off the border. It is about having some manufacturing in the US.
AZLD4Candidate
(6,120 posts)Real quick. . .these tariffs are long overdue and are still too low.
walkingman
(8,117 posts)EVs is a positive in our effort to combat Climate Change. Cheap solar panels, cheap EVs, are good for America. The quicker we can wean ourselves off of fossil fuels, the better everyone in America and the world will be.
The geopolitical battles are only hinder our ability to deal with a lot of the major problems we now face - we need to get our priorities right. Who cares if China passes the US economically?
AZLD4Candidate
(6,120 posts)You don't care that slave labor is used and sanctioned by the CCP to keep costs low.
So, as long as you save a few bucks, what the CCP does is okay?
Gotcha.
Who cares? Someone who lived there for 15 years and is married to someone from there! We need to marginalize the CCP, not enhance it.
Christ, BYD is known as "Blowup Your Driveway" for a reason! The higher the tariffs, the better. I'd want a 1000% tariff on everything as a way of attempting to bankrupt the CCP.
I'd also be uncoupling from a market that uses slave labor and has no worker protections. But never mind the human cost. . .we need cheap shitty goods from China.
walkingman
(8,117 posts)it happens, including the US. But I care more about the foreign policy in the US.
As I said earlier, anything we can do to eliminate fossil fuel usage is a positive and cheap EVs are one things that will help. Give us the choice. So many fuel efficient vehicles are not sold here in the US as a direct result of lobbying by the FF amd Auto Corporations.
The real truth is almost everything we consume here in America is made in China. Targeted tariffs are only about appeasement of certain industries - agriculture, autos, as an example. Globalization is not going away and protectionism have never worked. It has a negative effect on economic growth and economic welfare. Free trade and the reduction of trade barriers has a positive effect on economic growth.
The government picking winners and losers is bad policy.
I respect your position regarding China and am not trying to be argumentative.
Xolodno
(6,610 posts)And I read an article today that gold has been going up because more foreign governments are buying it as a neutral reserve. Our weaponizing of the dollar has been unprecedented, were not going to lose our "reserve status" any time soon, but it only takes a few pebbles to start a rockslide.
It's one thing if they are economically dumping to ruin an industry here, however, if that isn't the case, you just make it harder for Joe or Jane Consumer to make their budget. When they slapped all those unprecedented sanctions on Russia, I knew it would eventually come around and bite us. We don't trade with them much, but we do trade with Europe quite a bit and they trade with Russia, so inflation was an obvious result, just not directly.
And the companies that left due to our pressure, may have done them a favor. They picked up the assets for pennies on the dollar and created new companies. Before, they would make a profit and send a portion home to the USA, Europe, etc. Now it stays there. Of course some companies pledged to leave but say they won't just yet due to contractual reasons, in other words, they'll talk shit, but have no intention of leaving and losing that market.
And the worst part, because we went all in all at once, we have even less leverage and influence. When the Western Hegemony makes you a pariah state, you really got nothing left to lose after that point, so go for broke.
What really irritates me is when Trump basically pissed on all the avenues Obama made with Iran. Well Iran recently discovered they were sitting on the second largest rare earths deposits in the world. Doubt we see any of that any time soon. Short term political thinking often ends up with us shooting ourselves in the foot.
rockfordfile
(8,725 posts)Clothes. Thankfully in my life I've owned clothes made in my country. But for the last number of years good luck.