Commercial war: the multiple fronts opened by the United States

Commercial War: the multiple fronts opened by the United States
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AFP / File
/ WANG ZHAO

China, European Union, Mexico and Canada, Japan … Here is a panorama of the commercial fronts opened by the White House.

China

Announced for weeks, customs duties of 25% imposed by Donald Trump came into effect on Friday. Automobiles, hard disks or aircraft components, they carry 34 billion dollars of Chinese imports.

The Chinese Minister of Commerce accused Washington of having "launched the biggest commercial war of the economic history" . And the Chinese retaliatory measures took effect immediately, according to the authorities. If the nature and amount were not specified, China had previously warned that it would impose strictly equivalent taxes on $ 34 billion of US imports.

A second batch of taxes on $ 16 billion of Chinese imports will come into effect in two weeks, so that a total of $ 50 billion in imports will be struck, to compensate for what Washington considers to be the theft of technology and intellectual property.

Donald Trump is declared ready in recent weeks to impose additional taxes up to a total of 450 billion Chinese products – the bulk of imports from China.

European Union

Jeans, bourbon, Harley Davidson: l European Union adopted "unanimously" on June 21 retaliation against dozens of US products to counter taxes imposed by Washington on the steel and aluminum.

These are intended to compensate for the damage caused by US taxes by EUR 2.8 billion.

Other US products may also be taxed in the future. EU, up to 3.6 billion euros, if it wins against the United States before the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Europeans now fear that Washington will tax imports of cars. To defend Germany's thriving auto industry, Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "ready" to negotiate with the United States a general drop in tariffs in this sector.

Canada and Mexico

The tone continues between Washington and Ottawa since US steel and aluminum taxes come into effect

Like the European Union, Canada has taken retaliatory measures in the amount of $ 12.6 billion. dollars, effective June 30. In addition to US steel and aluminum, this includes whiskey, ketchup, orange juice, sailing and motor boats and lawn mowers.

Following the announcement of Washington on Mexico and Mexico have decided to impose equivalent customs duties "on various products" imported from the United States, including some steel, fruit and cheese.

Moreover, the negotiations between Washington, Mexico City and Ottawa to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (Alena), in effect since 1994, skate.

Russia

Also affected by the increase in taxes on steel, Russia informed the WTO that it was ready to retaliate against the United States. Moscow estimates the damage of these taxes to 538 million dollars.

The commercial relations between the two countries are marked, beyond this conflict, by the sanctions imposed by Washington against several personalities and entities, accused of participating in the " "Moscow attacks against" Western democracies "

Iran (and oil)

Washington announced in early May its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal signed under Barack Obama and decided to reinstate its sanctions against Tehran and all companies with links to the Islamic Republic

The Americans gave the latter a period of 90 to 180 days to withdraw from Iran. The first train of reinstatement of sanctions, set for August 6, will concern the automobile and civil aviation. On November 4th, energy and finance will follow.

The United States also plans to reduce Iran's oil exports to "zero," and Donald Trump continues to advocate for increased production by other major oil exporters, led by Saudi Arabia.

Japan

Japan, which has been hit by steel taxes since March, has informed the WTO that it wants to impose a 50 billion yen tax on US goods in retaliation (385 million euros).

For the country, however, the main concern is the threat of taxes on car imports.

South Korea

The White House announced on May 1 that it had finalized its free trade agreement with Seoul, ending the trade dispute with South Korea.

agreement, Seoul agrees to further open its automotive market to US automakers. It has also agreed to reduce its steel exports to the United States by 30%.

burs-spe / aue / cac

06/07/2018 15:02:36 –
Washington (AFP) –
© 2018 AFP