U.S. President Joe Biden is calling for higher tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, part of a series of steps to shore up the American steel sector and woo its workers in this year’s election.
In a visit to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Biden was set to propose new 25% tariffs on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products as part of an ongoing review, while the U.S. also launches a formal probe into China’s shipbuilding industry. Biden will reiterate that United States Steel, based in Pittsburgh, should remain American-owned.
The steps target a relatively small segment of the U.S. market, with imports of Chinese steel and aluminum totaling roughly $1.7 billion in 2023. But U.S. officials said the announcements were designed to head off an expected surge and safeguard the U.S. market.