The steps target a relatively small segment of the US market, with imports of Chinese steel and aluminium totalling roughly US$1.7 billion in 2023. But US officials said the announcements were designed to head off an expected surge and safeguard the US market.
President Joe Biden is calling for higher tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium, part of a series of steps to shore up the American steel sector and woo its workers in this year’s election.
In a visit to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Biden will propose new 25% tariffs on certain Chinese steel and aluminium products as part of an ongoing review, while the US also launches a formal probe into China’s shipbuilding industry. Biden will reiterate that United States Steel Corp, based in Pittsburgh, should remain American-owned.
