Biden administration quadruples import tariffs on Chinese electric cars

The United States is taking additional measures to remove China’s influence over its economy. The White House announced a massive increase in tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including semiconductors, steel, aluminum and electric cars. Tariffs on the latter will quadruple, from 25 percent to 100 percent, a move the White House says will “protect American manufacturers.” The release also reported that China’s electric vehicle exports have grown by 70 percent between 2022 and 2023.

Other tariff increases, such as the jumps from 25% to 50% for semiconductors and solar cells, are also significant. Then there are batteries that get a rate hike from 7.5 percent to 25 percent. Medical products are also part of this increase, with tariffs on needles and syringes increasing from zero percent to 50 percent.

The Biden administration has emphasized that American companies need a real chance to compete with Chinese imports. “China’s unfair trade practices in technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation threaten American businesses and workers. China is also flooding world markets with artificially low-priced exports,” the White House said in a statement. Biden’s decision builds on the tariffs introduced by his predecessor and current opponent in the election, Donald Trump.