MEMORANDUM
As part of the U.S. response to what is said to be China’s unfair trade practices related to the forced transfer of U.S. technology and intellectual property, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) today published a proposed list of products imported from China that could be subject to additional tariffs. Sectors subject to the proposed tariffs include industries such as aerospace, information and communication technology, robotics, and machinery, according to a USTR news release.
The Trade Representative proposes an additional duty of 25 percent on the Chinese products. The USTR is seeking public comment and will hold a public hearing regarding a proposed determination on appropriate action in response to these acts, policies, and practices.
The proposed list is defined by 8-digit subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), covering approximately 1,300 separate tariff lines. The list is set out in the announcement, which can be found here (The list is in the Annex, which starts on page 14).
DATES: To be assured of consideration, comments and responses should be submitted in accordance with the following schedule:
April 23, 2018: Due date for filing requests to appear and a summary of expected testimony at the public hearing and for filing pre-hearing submissions.
May 11, 2018: Due date for submission of written comments.
May 15, 2018: The Section 301 Committee will convene a public hearing in the main hearing room of the U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW Washington DC 20436 beginning at 10:00 am.
May 22, 2018: Due date for submission of post-hearing rebuttal comments
