China demands US side to remove tariffs on tungsten products, wafers, polysilicon

China has called on the United States to immediately correct its erroneous actions and remove the additional tariffs on Chinese exporters, pledging to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests, said the Ministry of Commerce on Monday.

The Office of the US Trade Representative announced tariff increases last week under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 for imports of certain tungsten products, wafers and polysilicon from China.

The rates for solar wafers and polysilicon will increase to 50 percent, and the rates for certain tungsten products will increase to 25 percent. These tariff increases will take effect on Jan 1, 2025, according to the USTR.

China's position against unilateral tariff measures has been consistent, and it has repeatedly lodged stern representations to the US side, said a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce in an online statement.

The commerce official said the World Trade Organization has long ruled that the US' Section 301 tariffs on China violates WTO rules. These tariff measures will not resolve the US trade deficit or industrial competitiveness issues.

Instead, they will drive up inflation in the US, harm the interests of US consumers and severely disrupt the international economic and trade order, as well as the stability of global industrial and supply chains, said the statement.