U.S. hiking tariffs on Chinese goods

White House says levies on EVs, solar cells, steel, aluminum to be phased in over next 3 years

- JOSH BOAK, FATIMA HUSSEIN, PAUL WISEMAN, DIDI TANG

A worker assembles an SUV at a car plant in China in March. The new U.S. tariffs come in the middle of a heated campaign between U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, both of whom are vying to show who's tougher on China.

The Biden administration announced plans to slap new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment an election-year move likely to increase friction between the world's two largest economies.

The tariffs come in the middle of a heated campaign between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, in which both candidates are vying to show who's tougher on China.

The tariffs are unlikely to have much of an inflationary impact because of how they're structured.

Administration officials said they think the tariffs won't escalate tensions with China, yet they expect China will explore ways to respond to the new taxes on its products. It's uncertain what the long-term impact on prices could be if the tariffs contribute to a wider trade dispute.

The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel and aluminum and more. There are currently very few EVs from China in the U.S., but officials worry lowpriced models made possible by Chinese government subsidies could soon start flooding the U.S. market.