When taxing ships, USA expand trade war with China

The American commercial authority detailed on Friday (18) new commercial barriers against China. Now the target is the ships built or operated by Chinese entrepreneurs.

The USTR – the United States Commercial Representation Office – said restrictions are needed to resume the American naval industry and determined a staggered implementation of tariffs against commercial ships produced or operated by Chinese companies.

The charge will start from $ 50 per liquid load ton and can rise to $ 140 per ton by 2028.

China is the largest ships in the world, with over 50% of the global market.

The announcement on Friday (18) contributes to further isolate the American economy. Donald Trump has already implemented a ten percent universal import tax against any commercial partner and over one hundred percent against China.

Still, the reading of the market was that the decision represents a retreat in comparison with the threats that the White House had been doing so far.

When he took over the government in February, Donald Trump even said he would charge a fee of over one million and five hundred thousand dollars for each Chinese vessel that arrived at an American port.

On Friday, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry criticized the Trump government announcement and said the United States need to stop blaming the Asian country because it called “American industrial disabilities.”

“We ask the United States to respect the facts and multilateral rules and immediately stop their erroneous practices. China will take the necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests,” said Lin Jian.

The day before, at a press conference alongside Italian prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Donald Trump said he has sought to negotiate a way out of the trade war against China and recognized the impact that the measures may have on the domestic market of the United States.

“I think we will make a deal. We will have a deal. We will have a great deal with China. And you will see that we will have a great deal with China,” the US president said.

This content was originally published in Taxar Ships, USA expands trade war with China on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil

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