USTR Notice Seeks ‘Continuation’ Request on List 1 China Tariffs

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is soliciting requests for “continuation” of the List 1 Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports, or the duties will face “possible termination” on July 6, their four-year anniversary, as required under the 1974 Trade Act, said the agency Tuesday. “If one or more requests for continuation are submitted, USTR will publish an additional notice after July 6 announcing the continuation of the tariff action and will proceed with a review of the tariffs,” it said. “The review will include an opportunity for all interested persons to provide comments.” Under the statute, a petitioner must file a continuation request in the 60 days before the tariffs are due to expire. For List 1, that 60-day window opens Saturday. Observers speculate it’s a virtual certainty USTR will receive at least one request for continuation and the resulting review will give the public an opportunity to learn more about the direction of the Biden administration’s tariff policies toward China (see 2203120001). USTR Katherine Tai conceded during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in March that four rounds of tariffs have “not incentivized China to change” its unfair trade practices (see 2203300051). Customs and Border Protection reported collecting $136.47 billion in Section 301 tariffs on China through April 27.