By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
President Trump has directed the U.S. government to levy tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods to punish China for the theft of intellectual property (IP) and to address the trade deficit. A proposed list of Chinese-made goods subject to the tariffs will be announced within 15 days and may number around 1,300 specific imports. The list will be subject to a public comment period before being finalized. The administration’s intent is to target Chinese products that benefited from improper access to U.S. technology, such as through unfair acquisition or forced tech transfer. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will also turn to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to pursue allegations of unfair Chinese licensing practices. China’s ability to invest in the U.S. technology sector will also be limited.
While SEMA, on behalf of its members, has registered complaints against Chinese companies for IP violations with the USTR, SEMA urges the Trump Administration to pursue this issue in a measured fashion that does not have unintended consequences for U.S. companies, workers and consumers. Along with the hasty roll-out of global steel and aluminum tariffs, SEMA is concerned that the response from our trading partners, including China, will be to impose retaliatory tariffs. SEMA is joining efforts with other business groups to counter unfair tariffs and support free and reciprocal trade.
For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.