Brazil has imposed new tariffs on various imports from China and other Asian nations, including iron, steel and fibre optic cable, in what officials said was an effort to combat dumping and “protect domestic industry from harm caused by this practice”.
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The Executive Committee of the Foreign Trade Chamber (Gecex), composed of ministerial advisers appointed by the presidency, announced the measures on Thursday – less than a month before Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Rio de Janeiro to sign several trade agreements as Brazil joins China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
According to meeting minutes obtained by the South China Morning Post, the committee justified the tariffs by citing a “significant increase in imports that harmed national production”.
Most of the tariffs are temporary, lasting six months while the Ministry of Foreign Trade investigates alleged irregular trade practices.
The tariffs on Chinese imports include a 35 per cent increase on fibre optic and cables; a 25 per cent increase on iron and steel products; and a rise to 10.8 per cent from 9 per cent on sodium chlorite, a chemical compound used in pulp and paper processing.
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Additional duties target metal foils, nebulisers, titanium dioxide pigments – used in paints, cosmetics and food – and polyester fibres, a key component in tyres, mesh, tarpaulins, PVC laminates and sewing thread.