Understanding the Tariff Landscape on China Prior to Trump’s Presidency- A Pre-2017 Insight

What was the tariff on China before Trump took office?

Before Donald Trump assumed the presidency of the United States, the tariff on China was relatively low. Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods, and they are used by governments to protect domestic industries, generate revenue, or influence trade policies. In the case of China, the United States had a history of imposing tariffs on various goods imported from the Asian powerhouse, but the overall level of tariffs was not as high as it would become under the Trump administration.

The United States and China have a long-standing trade relationship, with China being one of the largest trading partners for the U.S. However, before Trump took office, the tariffs on Chinese goods were generally in the range of 2.5% to 3.5% for most products. This relatively low tariff rate reflected the fact that the U.S. had not yet implemented significant trade barriers against China.

The trade relationship between the two countries was marked by a complex mix of cooperation and competition. While the U.S. imported a substantial amount of goods from China, it also faced concerns about intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers, and the large trade deficit with China. Despite these issues, the U.S. did not impose comprehensive tariffs on Chinese goods before Trump’s presidency.

One notable exception to the relatively low tariffs on China before Trump took office was the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in 2018. In response to what the Trump administration deemed unfair trade practices, it imposed tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum imports from China, as well as from other countries. However, these tariffs were not specifically targeted at Chinese goods and were part of a broader effort to address global trade imbalances.

Overall, the tariff on China before Trump took office was relatively low, reflecting the complex and multifaceted trade relationship between the two countries. The low tariffs were a result of a combination of factors, including the desire to maintain economic ties, the presence of a large trade deficit, and the lack of a comprehensive trade agreement that would address the concerns of both nations. As the Trump administration would later discover, the trade relationship with China would become a central issue during its tenure, leading to a significant increase in tariffs and a protracted trade war.