China urges US to drop planned drone tariffs
Beijing has urged Washington to scrap planned tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imported drones, warning the measures unfairly target Chinese products and threaten global supply chains. The tariffs are not set to take effect until September 3, but Chinese drone shipments to the United States are already under pressure, with exports of some models plunging in July, according to the latest customs data.
On Thursday, He Yadong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said Beijing firmly opposed Washington's decision to invoke national security powers – specifically Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act – to levy duties on drones and components, accusing it of applying uneven tariff rates on trading partners.
Warning that the measures would "seriously harm the interests of Chinese companies" and "disrupt cooperation in the global drone supply chain", He told a regular press briefing that Washington should withdraw the tariffs immediately. Chinese drones exported to the US were mainly used for civilian purposes, including agriculture, equipment inspections and the film and entertainment industries, he added.
The US action came on August 13, when President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 100 per cent tariff on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) with a maximum take-off weight of more than 25 kilograms (55.1 lbs), as well as those that integrate thermal imagers, UAS docking stations, and certain UAS components. A 25 per cent ad valorem duty was also set for certain smaller drones and other drone components.
Trump said the measures were aimed in particular at strengthening US national security by increasing domestic drone production. The proclamation specifies that the tariff rate on products from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and member states of the European Union is capped at 15 per cent, while the tariff rate on products from Britain will be no higher than 10 per cent.