In order to obtain tariff exemption from US stainless steel products, the Taiwan iron and Steel Association has informed 220 member manufacturers. Five types of products imported from the mainland, including steel embryo, strip, plate, stainless steel, and steel pipe, must be licensed before they can be imported.

Shen Jinquan, director-general of the iron and Steel Association, said that the rule is mainly to deal with the tariff range of the “232 clause” in the US. As long as Taiwan manufacturers can clarify the products exported to the United States without using continental materials, they can avoid tariffs.

On the afternoon of April 3rd local time, the office of the United States trade representative issued a list of China’s imported products on its website, based on the so-called 301 survey, which includes some 1300 independent tariff items, worth about $50 billion, involving aerospace, information and communication technologies, robots and machinery, and other industries.

The office of the trade representative of the United States recommends an additional 25% tariff on Chinese products on the list. After the announcement of the proposed list, there will be 60 days public consultation period, and the final 301 sanctions list will be released. The spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce issued a speech for the first time, saying that China firmly opposed it and took the same measures in the near future according to the law.