Trump: Proposed tariffs on Chinese imports—including medical imaging equipment—are 'back on the table'
The U.S. government, after announcing tariffs this past April on more than thousands of products imported from China, including medical imaging equipment, announced the opening shot in a potential international trade war was put on hold on May 20.
However, President Donald Trump announced yesterday, May 29, that the United States' retaliation against China's "unfair trade policies" is back on the table, including possibly imposing a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of Chinese imported goods, including medical imaging equipment and those related to the "Made in China 2025" program.
"For many years, China has pursued industrial policies and unfair trade practices—including dumping, discriminatory non-tariff barriers, forced technology transfer, over capacity, and industrial subsidies—that champion Chinese firms and make it impossible for many United States firms to compete on a level playing field," Trump said in an official statement from the White House. "From now on, we expect trading relationships to be fair and to be reciprocal."
On May 16, Kye Pitsor, vice president of government affairs at the National Electrical Manufactures Association (NEMA), testified in front of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) committee, stating the proposed tariffs would create $2.25 billion in taxes on many members which include medical imaging device manufacturers.
An official list of imports subject to the tariffs is scheduled to be released June 15, according to the White House.
A recent graduate from Dominican University (IL) with a bachelor’s in journalism, Melissa joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering all aspects of health imaging. She’s a fan of singing and playing guitar, elephants, a good cup of tea, and her golden retriever Cooper.