Explainer | What are the 14 Chinese items on the US tariff list, and how important are they to China’s exports?
1. Battery parts (non-lithium-ion batteries)
What is it? Batteries contain many components, including the anode, the cathode, an electrolyte and a separator.
Tariff: Increase rate from 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$475.7 million to the US, and last year the figure rose by 32 per cent to US$627.8 million.
2. Electric vehicles
What is it? A vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and is capable of being charged from an external source.
Tariff: Increase rate from 25 per cent to 100 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$459.3 million to the US, and last year the figure fell by 27.8 per cent to US$331.3 million.
3. Face masks
What is it? Face masks, including medical face masks.
Tariff: Increase rate from between zero and 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$382.7 million to the US, and last year the figure fell by 80.6 per cent to US$74.4 million.
4. Lithium-ion electrical vehicle batteries
What is it? A rechargeable battery used for electric vehicles.
Tariff: Increase rate from 7.5 per cent per cent to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$10.1 billion to the US, and last year the figure rose by 34 per cent to US$13.5 billion.
12:53
‘Overtaking on a bend’: how China’s EV industry charged ahead to dominate the global market
‘Overtaking on a bend’: how China’s EV industry charged ahead to dominate the global market
5. Lithium-ion non-electrical vehicle batteries
What is it? Used for small electronic devices, including digital cameras.
Tariff: Increase rate from 7.5 per cent per cent to 25 per cent in 2026.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$69.9 million to the US, and last year the figure rose by 26.6 per cent to US$88.5 billion.
6. Medical gloves
What is it? Rubber medical and surgical gloves.
Tariff: Increase rate from 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent in 2026.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$424.6 million to the US, and last year the figure rose by 4 per cent to US$442 million.
7. Natural graphite
What is it? A metal and important industrial mineral used for refractories, batteries and steelmaking.
Tariff: Increase rate from zero to 25 per cent in 2026.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$21.2 million to the US, and last year the figure fell by 63.2 per cent to US$7.8 million.
8. Other critical minerals
What is it? The US critical material list currently includes manganese ores and concentrates, with others expected to be added, but the exact definition is unclear.
Tariff: Increase rate from zero to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$4.5 million to the US, and last year the figure fell by 48 per cent to US$2.3 million.
9. Permanent magnets
What is it? Permanent magnets are materials where the magnetic field is generated by the internal structure of the material itself.
Tariff: Increase rate from zero to 25 per cent in 2026.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$626.9 million to the US, and last year the figure fell by 12 per cent to US$552.2 million.
10. Semiconductors
What is it? An essential component of electronic devices.
Tariff: Increase rate from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by 2025.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$2.28 billion to the US, and last year the figure rose by 2 per cent to US$2.32 billion.
11. Ship-to-shore cranes
What is it? A type of large dockside gantry crane found at container terminals.
Tariff: Increase rate from zero to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$65 million to the US, and last year the figure rose by 557 per cent to US$362.6 million.
12. Solar cells (whether or not assembled into modules)
What is it? Includes wafers, cell and modules.
Tariff: Increase rate from 25 per cent to 50 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$225.7 million to the US, and last year the figure dropped by 0.2 per cent to US$225.2 million.
13. Certain steel and aluminium products
What is it? A wide-ranging category, including industrial and household items.
Tariff: Increase rate from between zero and 7.5 per cent to 25 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported about US$6 billion to the US, and last year the figure dropped by 23.7 per cent to US$4.5 billion.
14. Syringes and needles
What is it? Medical products.
Tariff: Increase rate from zero to 50 per cent in 2024.
Trade: In 2022, China exported US$255.8 million to the US, and last year the figure dropped by 12.5 per cent to US$223.9 million.
