US seeks public comment on review of Trump-era China tariffs

The Biden administration is asking for public comment on the effectiveness of Trump-era tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese merchandise imports as part of its broader review of the duties.

The Office of the US Trade Representative is seeking public comments on “the effectiveness of the actions in achieving the objectives of the investigation, other actions that could be taken,” and the effects on the US economy and consumers, it said in a statement Wednesday. 

President Donald Trump started imposing the duties July 2018 using section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. US law states that the tariffs automatically expire four years after they were imposed, but on the eve of their sunset earlier this year, the USTR got hundreds of requests for them to remain. 

In May, USTR General Counsel Greta Peisch said the review “would likely take months.” At the same time, that wouldn’t prevent the Biden administration from taking other steps such as exclusions from duties in tandem with that analysis, she said.  

The USTR will open a public web portal for comments on Nov. 15, with the window for submissions closing Jan. 17, it said. 

President Joe Biden has for months been considering what to do with the Trump-era tariffs and is weighing his options.

The duties cover goods including industrial inputs such as microchips and chemicals, and consumer merchandise such as apparel and furniture. While there’s been no direct indication of which duties may be removed, senior administration officials have said reducing tariffs on household items could help ease a surge in the US cost of living.