UWL Market Updates

Truce Over: Trump fires off new 10% tariff on $300 Billion worth of imports from China

Written by Kellie Lynch | Aug 1, 2019 9:36:59 PM

U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Aug 1 announcing a new 10% tariff on the fourth list of $300 billion dollars worth of imports from China, effective Sept. 1.  This will add a tariff to just about all of the remaining imports from China that haven't already fallen victim to Section 301 duties.  The 10% tariff will be in addition to any other applicable tariffs already in place on products on the list. 


What products will be affected by the new tariff?

The new tariffs will apply to 3,805 product categories including livestock, meat and dairy products, floral products, fruits and vegetables, spices, apparel, shoes, chemicals, toys, sports equipment, TVs and electronics, musical instruments, and more. View the list of products in the Annex of Federal Register Notice 84 FR 22564 here

According to the USTR, List 4 covers all apparel, footwear, and manufactured textile products but excludes pharmaceuticals, certain pharmaceutical inputs, select medical goods, and rare earth minerals. 

 

*UPDATE* USTR delays implementation of some tariffs until Dec 15, easing holiday shopping season concerns

On Aug 13, USTR announced it would be implementing the 10% tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese imports in two phases, splitting the products into two lists.  It also removed some products from the list based on health, safety, and national security concerns.  

The USTR delayed to December 15 tariffs on products including cell phones, laptop computers, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain items of footwear and clothing. 

View the lists here:

Read more >>

 

*UPDATE #2* U.S. increases tariffs on Chinese goods again

On Aug 23, “Twelve hours after China said it would retaliate against Mr. Trump’s next round of tariffs by raising taxes on American goods, Mr. Trump said he would bolster existing tariffs on Chinese goods," reported the New York Times.

President Trump instructed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to increase by 5% the tariffs on approximately $550 billion worth of Chinese imports. 

  • For the 25% tariffs on approximately $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, USTR will begin the process of increasing the tariff rate to 30%, effective October 1 following a notice and comment period. 
  • For the 10% tariffs on approximately $300 billion worth of Chinese imports that the President announced earlier this month, the tariffs will now be 15%, effective on the already scheduled dates for tariff increases on these imports. 

View the USTR announcement >>

 

Why did the U.S. decide to levy tariffs on List 4 imports from China?

Trump cited Chinese negotiators "re-negging" on parts of the deal, and a lack of agricultural purchases from China as a main factors for levying the tariffs.  He also claimed that his "friend President Xi" didn't stop the sale of Fentanyl to Americans. 

⁠—Donald Trump via Twitter

 

Will there be a Product Exclusion process for List 4?

With the tariff on products on List 4 set at just 10%, we are not expecting the USTR to accept exclusion requests.  However, if the Administration decides to further raise the tariff to 25%, the USTR may open up an exclusion process similar to the one used for List 3 products. 

 

So what's a shipper to do?

Only one month of lead time before the tariff goes into effect certainly isn't much notice!  Companies importing goods from China need to take a look at their upcoming shipments' projected arrival dates to see if there are any that will be subject to the new tariffs.  It's also a good idea to explore any legal options for reducing or eliminating their exposure to these increasing costs.

Here are 5 tips from SupplyChain 24/7 for minimizing negative effects from the China trade tariffs on your supply chain:

  1. Start With The Big Picture: Head over to the Automated Commercial Environment system (ACE) to analyze your import data, and look into the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes of your products and their components.

  2. Find Alternatives To Your Current Supply Chain Partners: Identify alternative sources for components and raw materials in areas outside of China, like other Southeast Asia countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, or the Philipines.

  3. Consider Domestic Partners: Advantages of working with domestic manufacturing partners include greater IP security, lowered transportation costs, and high labor standards. 

  4. Smaller Partners Can Produce Bigger Results: Smaller companies can avoid regulatory costs because their small size enables them to move quickly. They are often more agile and flexible than larger counterparts. 

  5. Rethink Technology In Your Product Design & Development: Consider product redesigns or alternative components that can be used while still maintaining product quality. 

Read the full article here >>

Chinese negotiators are expected to visit Washington to continue their trade discussions in person in early September, with the hopes of reaching a comprehensive trade deal. 

 

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