Trump to target China tech goods

washington — The Trump administration this week will unveil the list of Chinese imports targeted for US tariffs to punish Beijing over technology transfer policies, a move expected to intensify trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

The list of $50 billion to $60 billion worth of annual imports is expected to target “largely high-technology” products and it may be more than two months before tariffs take effect, administration officials have said.

The US Trade Representative’s office needs to unveil the list of products by Friday under President Donald Trump’s China tariff proclamation signed on March 22. The tariffs are aimed at forcing changes to Chinese government policies that USTR says results in the “uneconomic” transfer of US intellectual property to Chinese companies.

The agency’s “Section 301” investigation authorising the tariffs alleges China has systematically sought to misappropriate US intellectual property through joint venture requirements, unfair technology licensing rules, purchases of US technology firms with state funding and outright theft.

US technology industry officials said they expected the Trump administration’s list to target products that benefit from Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” programme, which aims to upgrade the country’s domestic manufacturing base with more advanced products.

Trump administration’s list to target products that benefit from Beijing’s ‘Made in China 2025’ programme

US technology industry officials