More 301 exclusions as Trump doubles down on tariffs

   As the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday announced Section 301 tariff exclusions for 33 more products, President Donald Trump said he would leave tariffs in place on China for an extended period after his administration and Beijing reach any trade deal.
   “We’re talking about leaving them and for a substantial period of time, because we have to make sure that if we do the deal with China, that China lives by the deal,” Trump told reporters before leaving for a trip to Ohio. “Because they’ve had a lot of problems living by certain deals and we have to make sure.”
   The granted exclusions pertain to the 25 percent tariff list covering $34 billion worth of goods from China in 2017 import value and will apply retroactive to the July 6 date of the tariffs’ imposition, USTR said in a notice. The exclusions will be valid for one year following publication of the notice in the Federal Register.
   The exclusions follow a first batch of exclusions announced in December that covered nearly 1,000 exclusion requests and 31 different product types on the $34 billion list.
   In particular, the most recent exclusions take the form of three 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings and 30 product descriptions, according to the notice.
   Examples of product descriptions falling under the most recent exclusions include: submersible centrifugal pumps, each powered by 36 V motor (described in statistical reporting number 8413.70.2004); salad spinners, of plastics, not electrically powered (described in statistical reporting number 8421.19.0000); and machinery for filtering water, submersible, powered by batteries, manually operated, such machinery designed for use in pools, basins, aquariums, spas or similar contained bodies of water (described in statistical reporting number 8421.21.0000).
   Exclusions apply to all imports of the subject products, not merely goods imported by the requester.
   While Trump on Wednesday pointed to the U.S. trade deficit with China and said the U.S. “rebuilt China,” he added that the deal is “coming along nicely” and that the U.S. is sending top representatives there this weekend to advance negotiations.
   The U.S. had a $419 billion goods trade deficit with China in 2018.