The U.S. administration has decided to impose 'bomb tariffs' on Chinese products such as electric vehicles, and the Republican House has introduced a bill to raise tariffs on Chinese drones by 30%.
According to major foreign media on the 15th (local time), Representative Elise Stefanik submitted such a bill.
The bill includes raising tariffs on Chinese drones by 30%, with an additional 5% increase annually thereafter. It also bans the import of drones with key components made in China by 2030.
To promote the purchase of American-made drones, subsidies will be provided to emergency responders, critical infrastructure providers, farmers, and ranchers who buy drones made in the U.S. or allied countries.
Representative Stefanik said, "This bill will enhance the competitiveness of American drone manufacturers by establishing a subsidy program that allows Americans to purchase drones safely made in the U.S. and allied countries."
In March, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers requested the Biden administration to impose higher tariffs on Chinese drones, targeting companies like DJI and Autel, including shipments from other countries, and to provide incentives to support American drone manufacturers.
Currently, an additional 25% tariff is imposed on Chinese drones, but this level is insufficient to curb the surge in imports of Chinese drones. They also raised national security concerns in their letter, stating that Chinese drones "pose a potential threat to Americans."
According to them, Chinese manufacturers currently occupy 77% of the U.S. hobby drone market and over 90% of the commercial drone market.
This comes a day after the U.S. announced high tariffs on China's strategic industries. The Biden administration announced plans to sharply raise tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles from the current 25% to 100%, and increase tariffs on semiconductors and solar cells to 50%.
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