The administration of US President Donald Trump says it will begin imposing 25 percent tariffs on an additional $16 billion worth of Chinese goods in the next two weeks, escalating a trade war with the world’s second biggest economy.
The office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) made the announcement in an emailed statement on Tuesday, saying that the new round of tariffs will take effect on August 23.
The USTR said the duties would be imposed on 279 product lines, down from 284 items on the initial list, and that the new list covered goods such as electronic parts, plastics, chemicals, batteries, and railway cars.
This will be the second time Washington slaps tariffs on Chinese goods in about a month, despite pressure from US business companies coming out strongly against Trump’s trade policies.
“The breadth of the trade war’s impact on American businesses is evidence of the way trade is woven deep into the fabric of our economy….