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US unveils new tariffs on 60 partners, inc. China, as Trump rebuilds trade agenda

From Hong Kong Free Press · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The U.S. is imposing new tariffs on 60 global trading partners, including China, India, and the EU, due to forced labor concerns.
  • These tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, replace an expiring global duty and are designed to be more legally resilient.
  • Countries that ban forced labor imports or commit to doing so face lower tariffs, while others like China and South Korea face higher rates, drawing swift condemnation from targeted nations.

The United States has announced a significant expansion of its trade policy, imposing new tariffs on 60 trading partners, including major economies like China, India, and the European Union. The move, effective Friday, targets concerns over forced labor and aims to rebuild President Donald Trump's "tariff wall" after a recent Supreme Court setback.

The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.

— Jamieson GreerUS Trade Representative Jamieson Greer explained the rationale behind the new tariffs.

The new levies, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, replace an expiring global duty and are structured to be more resistant to legal challenges. According to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the targeted economies represent the majority of U.S. trade, and the administration expects trading partners to implement similar forced labor import prohibitions. "It's well past time for our trading partners to do the same," Greer stated.

The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.

— Jamieson GreerUS Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated the U.S. expectation for trading partners to adopt similar measures.

Economies that have implemented or committed to banning forced labor imports, such as Canada, the EU, and the United Kingdom, will face the lower 10% tariff rate. However, China, Japan, South Korea, and several other nations have been assigned the higher 12.5% tariff. Some relief is provided to the EU, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland, aligning with existing trade pacts.

regrets

— Minoru KiharaJapanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara expressed Japan's reaction to the tariffs.

The imposition of these tariffs has drawn immediate criticism from affected countries. Japan's government spokesman, Minoru Kihara, expressed regret, while Australia's trade minister called the tariffs "unjustified" and inconsistent with their free trade agreement. The U.S. is also investigating 16 other economies for excess industrial capacity, signaling a potential for further duties and maintaining leverage over global trade partners. Certain goods, including energy products, fertilizers, and those covered by the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact, are exempt.

unjustified

— Don FarrellAustralia’s trade minister Don Farrell described the tariffs imposed by the U.S.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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