US probes more Chinese products, in latest sign of its growing protectionism

The US Department of Commerce has launched anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into certain tungsten shot sourced from China, according the website of China Trade Remedies Information on Thursday, in the latest example of Washington's intensifying protectionism.

The investigations were initiated Wednesday at the request of Tungsten Parts Wyoming Inc, and the US International Trade Commission (ITC) is expected to make preliminary determinations by August 26, the US Department of Commerce said in an announcement. 

In 2023, China exported more than 5.9 million kilograms of tungsten shot to the US, worth about $10.88 million, according to the announcement. 

According to a post by US-based law firm Harris Sliwoski LLP, Tungsten Parts Wyoming Inc only began production in 2023, and instead of arguing that the Chinese imports have injured or threaten to injure them, the petitioner is asking ITC and the US Department of Commerce to find that the establishment of the US industry has been "materially retarded" by "unfair" Chinese imports.

This is only one of the latest anti-dumping or countervailing probes the US has launched against Chinese products. 

On Monday, the US Department of Commerce announced anti-dumping tariffs between 21.77 percent and 218.15 percent on more than a dozen Chinese companies for exports of glass wine bottles to the US. The preliminary ruling followed an anti-dumping investigation into glass wine bottles from China, Chile and Mexico, according to the China Trade Remedies Information website. 

While these cases are relatively small compared to the US' arbitrary tariffs and even outright bans against Chinese products, they reflect Washington's relentless protectionism, which continues to threat not just trade with China but global trade as a whole. 

Highlighting growing concern over the impact of the US' growing protectionism, some companies are reportedly bringing orders forward over concerns of growing trade tension. 

Citing Vincent Clerc, chief executive of AP Møller-Maersk, the world's second-largest container shipping company, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday that retailers and manufacturers are bringing orders forward amid fears of intensifying trade tensions between China and the US, which could further disrupt global supply chains. 

Meanwhile, the US government's arbitrary tariffs levies on a range of Chinese products have encountered strong opposition within the US, due to the massive costs the tariffs inflict on US companies. 

The US Trade Representative's Office announced on July 30 that some of the US' hefty additional tariffs imposed on a long list of Chinese products, including electric vehicles and batteries, computer chips and medical products, will be delayed by at least two weeks.

Many US businesses and executives have criticized the move, including Elon Musk who said that "neither Tesla nor I asked for these tariffs." Experts said that the firm opposition from US businesses may be behind the US' government's delay of the tariffs.