Page 54 - Plastics News September 2018

FEATURES

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to gain unauthorized access to commercially valuable exports were much lower overall – exporters sent 381
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The trade war China immediately implements its own tariffs.
March 8: President Donald Trump (left) issues executive -XO\ 7KH 8 6 DQQRXQFHV D QHZ WDULII SURSRVDO DQG
orders calling for import duties on steel and al uminum. releases a sweeping list
March 23: The steel and aluminum tariffs take effect, but of additional Chinese imports worth $200 billion. These
they temporarily exclude a handful of countries including products would be levied a 10 percent duty under the
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, South Korea proposal.
DQG FRXQWULHV LQ WKH (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ July 13: China's Ministry of Commerce responds, noting
$SULO 7KH &KLQHVH JRYHUQPHQW UHWDOLDWHV IRU WKH 8 6 that the country's government "will have to take necessary
tariffs. China begins imposing tariffs on 128 products countermeasures as always to defend the interests of our
LPSRUWHG IURP WKH 8 6 LQFOXGLQJ D SHUFHQW GXW\ RQ country and its people."
scrap aluminum. July 20: President Trump states during an interview that
$SULO $IWHU D 8 6 LQYHVWLJDWLRQ FRQFOXGHV &KLQD HQJDJHV he is ready to enact
LQ XQIDLU WUDGH SUDFWLFHV KDUPLQJ 8 6 LQWHOOHFWXDO SURSHUW\ tariffs on all $500 billion in Chinese goods imported into
ULJKWV WKH 2IILFH RI WKH 8 6 7UDGH 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH WKH 8 6
publishes a list of 1,300 product codes covering $50 billion
in Chinese imports, all of which are proposed to be hit $XJ 7KH 8 6 DQQRXQFHV LW LQWHQGV WR LQFUHDVH
with 25 percent tariffs. previously planned tariffs on

May 19: The tariffs affecting $50 billion in Chinese goods the $200 billion in Chinese imports from 10 percent up
EULHÁ\ DSSHDU WR EH FDOOHG RII 7KH 8 6 DQG &KLQHVH to 25 percent.
governments release a joint statement expressing Aug. 3: China responds with a new I ist of $60 bi Ilion in
consensus on making changes to their trade relationship. imports that will be
June 1: Some of the country exemptions on steel and subject to tariffs ranging from 5 to 25 percent. The list
DOXPLQXP GXWLHV HQG &DQDGD (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ FRXQWULHV includes pulp made from recycled paper.
and Mexico are now subject to the tariffs for steel and
aluminum. $XJ 7KH 8 6 UHOHDVHV D ÀQDOL]HG OLVW RI SURGXFWV WKDW
will be subject to
-XQH 7KH 2IÀFH RI 8 6 7UDGH 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH UHOHDVHV $16 bi II ion in imports as part of the proposallirst
the revised list of $50 billion in products that wi II be announced in June.
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LQWR WZR VHSDUDWH URXQGV RI WDULIIV WKH ÀUVW FRYHULQJ $XJ &KLQD SXEOLVKHV LWV RZQ ÀQDOL]HG ELOOLRQ OLVW
billion and the second an additional $16 bi II ion in imports. which now includes
June 17: China responds with its own tariff proposals UHFRYHUHG ÀEHU VFUDS SODVWLF DQG D YDULHW\ RI YLUJLQ UHVLQ
FRYHULQJ DQ HTXDO YDOXH LQ 8 6 H[SRUWV WR &KLQD products.
-XO\ 7KH 8 6 HQDFWV LWV SHUFHQW WDULIIV RQ ELOOLRQ $XJ &KLQD V WDULIIV RQ 8 6 UHF\FODEOHV WDNH HIIHFW
in Chinese imports.

Plastics News September 2018 54