There are no immediate plans to remove the Section 301 tariffs on goods from China, President Donald Trump told reporters March 20. Asked about discussions of the possible lowering of tariffs as the two countries work toward a trade deal, Trump said the tariffs will continue. "No, we're not talking about removing them, we're talking about leaving them [in place] for a substantial period of time because we have to make sure that if we do the deal with China, that China lives by the deal," he said. China has "had a lot of problems living by certain deals," he said. Even so, "the deal is coming along nicely," Trump said. "We have our top representatives going there this weekend to further the deal," he said. The U.S. is taking in "billions and billions of dollars right now in tariff money, and for a period of time that will stay."

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issued another list of product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on goods from China, granting full or partial exemptions for 87 separate exclusion requests, according to a pre-publication copy of a notice posted to the agency’s website March 20. The product exclusions apply retroactively to July 6, 2018, the date the first set of tariffs took effect, and will remain in effect until one year after USTR publishes the notice in the Federal Register.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for March 11-15 in case they were missed.

The American information and communications technology (ICT) sector is bearing an especially heavy burden from the “bilateral tariff escalation” between the U.S. and China, Rhodium Group Senior Analyst Lauren Gloudeman told reporters on a conference call, summarizing the findings of a Rhodium report for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (see 1903140001). For the report, released Friday, Rhodium did a "quantitative assessment" of the escalation's costs and found the impact is “unambiguously severe” on the ICT industry, she said.

A Rhodium Group report prepared for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that the American information and communication technology sector is bearing an especially heavy burden from the “bilateral tariff escalation” between the U.S. and China, senior Rhodium analyst Lauren Gloudeman told reporters on a conference call March 15. The report found the costs of the escalation are “unambiguously severe” on the ICT industry, she said.

Cree, an early flag-waver for LED technology during the government-mandated transition to energy-efficient lighting (see 1405090068), agreed to sell its lighting products business unit to Ideal Industries for about $310 million, it said Friday. Cree expects to receive an initial cash payment of $225 million, subject to purchase price adjustments, and could receive a targeted earn-out payment of $85 million based on accounting metrics over a 12-month period two years after the transaction closes, expected in fiscal Q3.

Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports would reduce U.S. GDP by up to $1 trillion within a decade if left in place, concluded a Rhodium Group study for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The tariffs are “eroding” U.S. “competitiveness” in information and communication technology and “undermining globalized supply chains,” said the chamber, which plans to release the report Friday. “U.S. tariffs, together with Chinese retaliation, are disrupting global trade and supply chains, further damaging American businesses, workers, farmers, ranchers and investors,” commented the chamber in August, arguing unsuccessfully against imposition of the List 3 tariffs that took effect Sept. 24. The three rounds of tariffs imposed since July are costing the tech industry $1 billion a month in higher fees, estimated CTA in December (see 1812140045). U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in two recent appearances before Congress, refused to say if a trade deal with China hinges on lifting the tariffs or keeping them in place to enforce Chinese compliance (see 1903130036).

Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports would reduce U.S. GDP by up to $1 trillion within a decade if left in place, concluded a Rhodium Group study for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The tariffs are “eroding” U.S. “competitiveness” in information and communication technology and “undermining globalized supply chains,” said the chamber, which plans to release the report Friday. “U.S. tariffs, together with Chinese retaliation, are disrupting global trade and supply chains, further damaging American businesses, workers, farmers, ranchers and investors,” commented the chamber in August, arguing unsuccessfully against imposition of the List 3 tariffs that took effect Sept. 24. The three rounds of tariffs imposed since July are costing the tech industry $1 billion a month in higher fees, estimated CTA in December (see 1812140045). U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in two recent appearances before Congress, refused to say if a trade deal with China hinges on lifting the tariffs or keeping them in place to enforce Chinese compliance (see 1903130036).

Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports would reduce U.S. GDP by up to $1 trillion within a decade if left in place, concluded a Rhodium Group study for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The tariffs are “eroding” U.S. “competitiveness” in information and communication technology and “undermining globalized supply chains,” said the chamber, which plans to release the report Friday. “U.S. tariffs, together with Chinese retaliation, are disrupting global trade and supply chains, further damaging American businesses, workers, farmers, ranchers and investors,” commented the chamber in August, arguing unsuccessfully against imposition of the List 3 tariffs that took effect Sept. 24. The three rounds of tariffs imposed since July are costing the tech industry $1 billion a month in higher fees, estimated CTA in December (see 1812140045). U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in two recent appearances before Congress, refused to say if a trade deal with China hinges on lifting the tariffs or keeping them in place to enforce Chinese compliance (see 1903130036).

It's OK for AT&T to stop providing Lifeline discounts to most Ohio landline customers June 11, decided the Ohio Public Utilities Commission (PUCO). Commissioners voted 4-0 Wednesday to approve an AT&T application to end participation in the federal program (see 1809270031), said a Wednesday order in case 17-1948-TP-UNC. AT&T has 7,301 Ohio landline customers, PUCO said. Staff said wireless Lifeline providers cover 99.85 percent of AT&T Ohio’s affected territory. Affected customers unable to find an alternative Lifeline provider should tell PUCO by Aug. 10, it said. “The PUCO will assist customers in finding an alternative Lifeline provider, and if one does not exist, AT&T Ohio will continue to provide a discount for an additional year.” The company also seeks to give up ETC status in Alaska (see 1812190029).