The United States has launched a major investigation into unfair trade practices by some of its biggest partners, just weeks after the Supreme Court struck down a key part of President Donald Trump’s tariff plans.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the Section 301 probe on Wednesday, warning it could lead to new duties on nations such as China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea and Mexico by summer.
The Section 301 unfair trade practices probe could lead to new levies against said countries by this summer. If unfair practices like subsidies or intellectual property theft are confirmed, import taxes could hit goods from those countries, building on long-standing U.S. grievances against Beijing that have cost American businesses billions.
Greer hopes to wrap up the reviews before temporary tariffs Trump introduced in late February expire in July. “I hoped to conclude the investigations before new temporary tariffs imposed by Trump in late February expire in July. The list also covers Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Switzerland and Norway, many of which have boomed as alternatives to Chinese manufacturing.”
Reuters figures show Vietnam’s U.S. exports soaring 20% last year. Canada, the U.S.’s second-largest trading partner, escapes scrutiny, highlighting selective targeting amid tight North American ties.
This comes after the court ruled Trump’s April tariffs on dozens of countries unlawful for lacking legal footing. Trump hit back with a 10% global levy, calling the verdict terrible and the justices fools. He soon talked up 15%, though it stayed at 10%; officials now signal increases ahead.
Economists at the Peterson Institute predict 1-2% U.S. price hikes if tensions escalate, while the EU mulls retaliation reminiscent of 2018 clashes. The timing aids Trump as U.S. and Chinese officials meet in Paris this weekend, priming his late-March Beijing summit with Xi Jinping. USTR documents flag IP and digital trade issues, echoing $300 billion in prior China tariffs.