GOP Criticizes Biden for Increasing Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles

The GOP isn’t convinced by President Joe Biden’s strong stance on China.

The Biden administration has revealed intentions to impose new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum, and medical equipment. This move, made just before the elections, is likely to escalate tensions between the two largest economies in the world.

Chair of the Republican National Committee, Michael Whatley, dismissed this as a last-minute effort to portray Biden as tough on China.

“Weak Joe Biden is acknowledging the success of Trump-era trade policies while his failing EV mandate is being exploited by China,” Whatley stated. “President Trump’s America First trade policies reduced the trade deficit, increased wages, created over 500,000 new manufacturing jobs, and strengthened America. Biden has continuously favored China over America.”

While administration officials believe that the tariffs won’t worsen relations with China, they anticipate that China will seek to retaliate against the new taxes on their products. The long-term impacts on prices from potential trade disputes remains uncertain.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, criticized Biden’s actions as a distraction from policies leading to the loss of many autoworkers’ jobs.

“The fact that these tariffs only apply to Chinese EVs and not gas-powered cars and trucks shows that this is not about protecting American workers,” Leavitt mentioned. “It’s all about Joe’s agenda to phase out gas-powered vehicles and push Americans into expensive electric cars they neither want nor can afford.”

The phased-in tariffs over the next three years will cover EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel, aluminum, and more. Although there are few Chinese EVs currently in the U.S., officials are concerned that subsidized low-cost models could flood the market soon.

Chinese companies are able to sell EVs for as little as $12,000 and have the capacity to meet global demand for solar cells, steel, and aluminum. Chinese officials argue that their production keeps prices low and supports the transition to a green economy.

-This report contains information from the AP.