Flashback - hearings into tariffs

The United States government appears to have cancelled its import tariffs on Chinese forklifts.

A notice from the Office of the United States Trade Representative grants exclusions to the tariffs imposed on July 6, 2018 for USD34 billion of Chinese imports.

"The U.S. Trade Representative initiated the exclusion process in July 2018, and stakeholders have submitted requests for the exclusion of specific products," the government agency says in a statement.

"In December 2018, March 2019, April 2019, May 2019, June 2019, and July 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative granted exclusion requests. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to grant additional exclusion requests, as specified in the Annex to this notice. The U.S. Trade Representative will continue to issue decisions on pending requests on a periodic basis," it adds.

The comprehensive decision document notes that requests to exempt product categories from the tariffs had to show that the products were available from other sources besides China; that the imposition of additional duties on the particular product would cause severe economic harm to the requestor or other U.S. interests, and that the particular product is strategically important or related to ''Made in China 2025'' or other Chinese industrial programs.

"Based on the evaluation of the factors set out in the July 11 notice ... the U.S. Trade Representative has determined to grant the product exclusions set out in the Annex to this notice," it adds.

The exclusions include pallet trucks and forklifts, as well as a range of engine and motor components and other parts used by American forklift manufacturers.

The process for winding back the tariffs is not clear, and Forkliftaction News will continue to investigate the announcement and its implications.

In June, we reported that about 320 officials from US manufacturers, retailers and other companies and trade groups appeared at hearings at the US International Trade Commission, urging for the end of some import tariffs.

The tariffs were introduced by President Trump in 2018, triggering a trade war with China.