US to raise tariffs on $18 bn of China imports including chips

The United States is hiking tariffs on $18 billion worth of imports from China, targeting strategic sectors like electric vehicles, batteries, steel and critical minerals, the White House said Tuesday.

The decision comes as U.S. President Joe Biden gears up for a re-run of his 2020 contest with Republican rival Donald Trump in November's election, with officials criticizing Trump's record on trade as they made the announcement.

The tariff rate on EVs is set to quadruple to 100 percent this year while the one for semiconductors will surge from 25 percent to 50 percent by next year, said the White House.

The action is aimed at encouraging China to "eliminate its unfair trade practices regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation," it added in a statement.

This follows a review of tariffs imposed during a trade war between Washington and Beijing, during which then president Trump introduced levies on some $300 billion in goods from China.

The so-called Section 301 investigation was the primary tool the Trump administration used to justify tariffs, and the U.S. Trade Representative is required to look into the impact of the levies after four years.

Tuesday's actions were also taken under Section 301 of the Trade Act.

Beyond EVs and semiconductors, Washington is roughly tripling tariffs on some steel and aluminum products, and on lithium-ion EV batteries and battery parts.

The tariff rate on natural graphite and some other critical minerals will surge from zero to 25 percent, and that on solar cells doubles as well from 25 percent to 50 percent.

But some tariff hikes, such as on non-EV lithium-ion batteries, take effect later to allow for a transitional period as the country builds...