Biden Says He'd Like to Lift Some China Tariffs

President Joe Biden, during a news conference at the end of his first year in office, said he hopes to eventually end the tariffs on goods from China, but it remains unclear when that might happen. Asked about his tools to fight inflation and whether it's time to end the tariffs on goods from China, Biden said he knows that business groups are asking for them to be removed, at least in part. "That’s why my trade rep is working on that right now," he said Jan. 19. "The answer is uncertain. It’s uncertain. I’d like to be able to be in a position where I can say they’re meeting the commitments, or more of their commitments, and be able to lift some of it. But we’re not there yet."

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai has said that asking China to meet phase one commitments it has not yet fulfilled is an important part of her engagement. Biden also asked China to fulfill its phase one trade commitments during a call with President Xi Jinping in November, but there were no breakthroughs (see 2111160004).