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President Trump has signed a presidential memorandum directing the U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to draw up a list of Chinese products on which tariffs could be imposed. The list will be made public in 15 days, and tariffs will take effect after a 60-day comment period:
The US plans to impose tariffs on up to $60bn (£42.5bn) in Chinese goods and limit the country's investment in the US in retaliation for years of alleged intellectual property theft.
The White House said the actions were necessary to counter unfair competition from China's state-led economy. It said years of talks had failed to produce change. China said it was ready to retaliate with "necessary measures". Beijing also said it would "fight to the end" in any trade war with the US.
US stock markets closed lower on Thursday, as investors responded to the announcement. [...] The White House said it has a list of more than 1,000 products that could be targeted by tariffs of 25%. Businesses will have the opportunity to comment before the final list goes into effect.
Reuters portrays the action as "far removed from threats that could have ignited a global trade war". Bloomberg notes that many industry trade groups and companies are opposing the tariffs.
Related: US Government Puts Tariffs on Imported Solar Cells, Solar Modules, and Washing Machines
Major US Solar Company Blames Job Cuts On Trump's Solar Import Tariff
U.S. Steel and Aluminum Imports to Face New Tariffs
(Score: 2, Informative) by Rich26189 on Friday March 23 2018, @03:31PM (5 children)
I agree with most of what you said especially
Citing my own self as one example. I’m retired, living on a fixed income. I’d consider myself to be, economically, lower-middle class, not flush but not living month to month. When I want to buy something other than food those products are mostly made in China (or India or some other Asian country). Not there is anything wrong with those countries making and selling products in this country. But, given a choice I would buy a US made product, it’s where I live and I want to support its economy but those choices are few and far between.
Common, everyday products such as stationary items like index cards or a silicone pastry brush are made in Asia. The quality::value varies quite a bit, the index cards aren’t even proper card stock, more like blotting paper, touch ‘em with a pen and the ink is sucked out into blot. The pastry brush though it may be of higher quality than a typical Chinese product (branded as OXO) and is still quite expensive for what it is IMO.
I wanted to use the brush for spreading glue in woodworking, it’s supposed to clean up more easily than other types of brushes. The woodworking is a recent pursuit since retiring and I wanted to go all hand tools. Initially I bought a few things at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore (a second hand shop for those unfamiliar). For the tools I wanted to buy new I bought from Canada, UK, France, Austria and the Czech Republic, countries whose economies I choose to support. If what I wanted was made anywhere in Western or Central Europe I’d buy it. Yes, it was more expensive, but I simply waited a little while saving my pennies and made the purchase.
My contribution to those economies was a drop in the bucket but I had the choice and made it. What I really dislike is there not being a choice. There are few US companies that "make things" and many companies with US names that just "import things", just middle-men taking their cut.
Recently there was a news item (I paraphrase) ‘Kidde, the maker of a smoke detectors was recalling a number of these unit because of a defect’. My first thought was Kidde didn’t make these smoke detectors they contracted with some nondescript factory in China to make these and then imported them. Fake News, all of it!
And another things that pisses me off is why it’s so expensive to ship from Europe to the US (east coast no less) while shipping from Asia to the US is so inexpensive. Damn economy of scale.
/Rant; Getting off of my own lawn; going back to my shop but first, read some more Soyletnews.
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Friday March 23 2018, @06:07PM
In general when looking to buy I try to stick to western Europe, the States, Canada, Japan or South Korea. If I need something cheaper I will opt for anywhere except China. I can compete with a person from the first set of countries, and I am okay with money going to build up the economies in the second set because most places aren't repressing their own countries from advancing.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Friday March 23 2018, @09:34PM (3 children)
What really bugs me is when I can't tell if the product is produced in China or Malaysia, but is hidden behind a distributed by US company, random US city. Hershey's chocolate is a prime example, after some research I've come to the conclusion, that almost all the Hershey's chocolate produced for the US market is in fact manufactured in Mexico. Only a tiny fraction is made in Hershey, PA to make it look like the company is American. More Ghirardelli chocolate is made in SF than Hershey's chocolate is made in the US.
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @05:31AM (2 children)
citation?
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Saturday March 24 2018, @05:09PM
Do the fsck'n look up yourself you lazy bastard, form your own opinion. That was the whole point of the article. Here is a quick clue though...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hershey_Company [wikipedia.org]
But almost every label reads Distributed by Hershey Chocolate company, Hershey PA
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Saturday March 24 2018, @05:14PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghirardelli_Chocolate_Company#Production [wikipedia.org]
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge