Trade Cases
Leibowitz on Trade: New Dates on New China Tariffs
Written by Sandy Williams
August 13, 2019
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington:
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office announced new effective dates on billions of dollars of imports from China today. Goods that, according to an analysis from the advocacy group Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, amounted to $28 billion in trade value, will not be hit with new 10 percent tariffs against China. On Sept. 1, 10 percent tariffs will be imposed by the United States on $112 billion in 2017 trade value. Ten percent tariffs on $160 billion in trade value will be delayed until Dec. 15 to permit popular items for Christmas to be imported without the tariff burden.
China is an important source of apparel imports to the United States; over 90 percent of apparel purchased in the United States is imported, and a significant percentage is from China. Until now, most apparel imports have been exempt from the earlier China tariffs. About $7.3 billion will be hit by 10 percent tariffs on Sept. 1, and about $6.7 billion will be hit on Dec. 15, according to Tariffs Hurt the Heartland.
President Trump tweeted that the delay until Dec. 15 would take a burden off U.S. consumers—but then again he claims the tariffs do not hurt American consumers.
We still do not know whether the Sept. 1 date applies to entries on or after that date or exports from China on or after that date. We should find out which it is in the next day or two.
Retailers reacted gratefully to the news that tariffs on the Christmas items would be delayed for 3½ months.
President Trump has also tweeted that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin had a “very productive” conversation yesterday with the senior Chinese officials with whom they have been negotiating. He predicted that China wants to do “something dramatic” to break the stalemate on trade.
If you have specific questions about coverage of the new tariffs, please let me know.
Lewis Leibowitz
The Law Office of Lewis E. Leibowitz
1400 16th Street, N.W.
Suite 350
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: (202) 776-1142
Fax: (202) 861-2924
Cell: (202) 250-1551
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases
China challenges Canada’s tariffs on steel, aluminum, EVs
China is challenging Canada’s decision to put tariffs on imports of Chinese steel, aluminum, and electric vehicles.
Leibowitz: Harris, Trump don’t talk much about steel and trade – because they (mostly) agree
By most accounts, the issues that are most important for voters in this election are the economy, immigration, and abortion. International trade policy plays a key role in at least two of those three (the economy and immigration). Both presidential candidates recognize that trade and tariffs are an important focus. And “America first” is a rallying point for both candidates.
Commerce launches investigation into imports of coated flat-rolled steel
On Thursday, the Department of Commerce announced it would initiate investigations into coated steel imports from ten countries.
Op-Ed: Despite misclassification games, import data supports surge of Mexican conduit
Barry Zekelman, chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, says the import data unquestionably supports the fact that imports of Mexican conduit have been surging into the US market.
Leibowitz: The Mexican steel import “surge”—and what to do about it
US presidential campaigns frequently sport an “air of unreality.” No more so than the 2024 campaign, where superlatives fly around like mosquitos. Steel trade has been a feature of political discourse for at least half a century now. Just last week, it proceeded to a new level of “unreality.” Four senators - Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) - wrote a “bipartisan” letter attacking Mexican exports of steel to the United States. They framed it as a “surge” in US steel imports from Mexico. To address this “surge,” the Senators urge the imposition of 25% tariffs on all steel imports from Mexico.