US, China raise tariffs in new round of trade dispute
BEIJING — The United States and China went ahead with tariff hikes on billions of dollars of each other’s automobiles, factory machinery and other goods Thursday in an escalation of a battle over Beijing’s technology policy that companies worry will chill global economic growth.
The increases came as envoys met in Washington for their first high-level talks in two months. They gave no sign of progress toward a settlement over U.S. complaints that Beijing steals technology and its industry development plans violate Chinese free-trade commitments.
The 25 per cent duties, previously announced, apply to $16 billion of goods from each side including automobiles and metal scrap from the United States and Chinese-made factory machinery and electronic components.
In the first round of tariff hikes, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent duties on $34 billion of Chinese imports on July 6. Beijing responded with similar penalties on the same amount of American goods.