The 15 percent Section 301 tariffs taking effect in less than a week on Chinese-sourced TVs and other consumer tech goods would add roughly $31 in cost to the average set imported to the U.S., using the 9.28 million TVs shipped here in 2019's first half as a base, we found from analyzing Census Bureau trade statistics through the International Trade Commission’s DataWeb tool.
Adrienne Braumiller and George Alfonso will offer trade-related lobbying through a new lobbying firm founded by the pair, Braumiller said in an Aug. 26 email. Braumiller, who started the Braumiller Law Group, and Alfonso, who also founded The Law Offices of S. George Alfonso, said the two will partner to create a new lobbying firm called Reigncore. The pair "have combined their unique talents and experiences in international trade and artful persuasion to form the cornerstone of Reigncore, in order to provide the consulting and lobbying services best suited for each client’s specific objectives and goals," Braumiller said in the email. Alfonso will be president and Braumiller will be CEO, though neither will "provide legal counsel or representation," Reigncore said on its website. Lobbying areas include the new NAFTA, Section 301 tariff exclusions, and export control reform efforts, it said.
France's President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at a press conference at the G-7 meeting Aug. 26, said that the U.S. and France have agreed they will work together to reach an agreement in 2020 on modernizing the international tax rules. Macron, who was speaking in French, said that the 3 percent digital services tax is not designed to punish any large companies. Rather, he said, "it's to fix the problem. And there are also plenty of French companies that will be touched by this tax."
CBP created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1914 on Aug. 13, containing 531 Automated Broker Interface records and 94 Harmonized Tariff Schedule records, it said in a CSMS message. The update includes adjustments required by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's announcement of two new sets of exemptions from Section 301 tariffs on China (see 1907290023 and 1908080019). Modifications required by the verification of the 2019 HTS and to support Partner Government Agency message set functionality are included as well.
Though Thursday’s announcement that HP President-CEO Dion Weisler will depart to tend to a “family health matter” (see 1908220066) surprised many, he gave strong clues on a fiscal Q3 call Thursday that his decision to leave was in the works for an extended time. Enrique Lores, president of HP’s imaging, printing and solutions, will become CEO when Weisler steps down in November.
Tech and business interests waited in nervous silence all day Friday for President Donald Trump’s possible policy reactions to China’s imposition of retaliatory tariffs on $75 billion in U.S. goods. An obvious fear was that Trump would ratchet up the 10 percent List 4A Section 301 tariffs when they take effect Sept. 1 or rethink the decision deferring tariffs on List 4B goods to Dec. 15.
U.S. industry representatives criticized China’s Aug. 23 decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. and called for the two sides to quickly reach a trade deal. The latest Chinese tariffs could lock U.S. companies out of China for “many years,” said Doug Barry, spokesman for the U.S.-China Business Council. Barry said U.S. companies are worried that China is finding other suppliers as the trade war continues, and the latest measures may only speed up the process. “More worrisome is the signal to everyone, everywhere, that the trade conflict is getting worse, not better,” Barry said. “So let’s not invest and let’s not buy.”
President Donald Trump said in an Aug. 23 tweet that he is planning an unspecified response to new tariffs that China will impose on U.S. goods. China's tariffs are in relation to the coming Section 301 10 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, most of which will begin on Sept. 1. “Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing your companies HOME and making your products in the USA,” Trump tweeted. “We don’t need China” and the U.S. “would be far better off without them,” he said. “The vast amounts of money made and stolen by China from the United States, year after year, for decades, will and must STOP.”
CBP on Aug. 22 issued new filing instructions for goods subject to Section 301 duties, in light of the 10 percent tariffs set to take effect on Sept. 1. The agency’s CSMS message contains updated information on how to enter goods with subheadings on the first group of fourth tranche products, on which Section 301 duties take effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Sept. 1 (see 1908150039). Beginning on Sept. 1, goods included in the first group of the list must be filed under subheading 9903.88.15. Then, effective Dec. 15, tariffs take effect on a second list of goods under subheading 9903.88.16.
China will impose tariffs on about $75 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation for the coming 10 percent Section 301 tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese goods, China’s State Council said, according to an unofficial translation. China said it will impose either 10 percent or 5 percent tariffs on more than 5,000 U.S. products. The tariffs will be imposed in two separate batches on Sep. 1 and Dec. 15, China said.