USA to Triple Tariffs on Chinese Steel and Aluminum

A real trade war between the USA and China is ongoing, but US President Joe Biden continues to deny the very fact of a conflict of interest between Washington and Beijing and says he is “not concerned about a possible trade war with China.”

During a campaign meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with representatives of the United Steelworkers union, Biden said he asked trade representative Katherine Tai to raise the rate from the current 7.5% to a prohibitive 25%. Those are the tariffs currently levied on some Chinese metallurgic products, from steel to aluminum, exported from China to the USA.

The US president said he has also ordered an investigation into the “aggressive support” the Chinese government is providing to several shipbuilders. To prevent Beijing from “circumventing new tariff measures” aimed at protecting the interests of American companies and workers by diverting exports to the US through Mexico, Washington will discuss increased trade coordination with that neighboring Central American country.

But regardless, Biden once again said he was not concerned about a possible trade war with China. Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with United Steelworkers unionists, the White House occupant said: “No, I’m not worried. No trade war.”