“Soon to Be Announced: Final Decision on China 301 Tariff Exemptions”

Anticipated Announcement on China 301 Tariff Exemptions

In the coming days, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) is set to announce its final decision on Section 301 tariff exemptions for Chinese imports, following a delay of more than a month. As noted in a statement released on Friday, the USTR is finalizing the list of products from China that will face increased tariffs.

The first wave of tariffs, which was originally scheduled to begin on August 1, has now been postponed by at least two weeks. This delay was deemed necessary to evaluate over 1,100 public comments submitted in response to the tariffs introduced in May, which include electric vehicles (EVs) and essential minerals.

Several stakeholders in the US market have requested exemptions for particular products, including indium and tantalum. They argue that the US relies heavily on China for these metals and currently lacks the capacity for domestic production.