The Trump administration has accused China of using unfair trade practices to try and dominate the global chip industry, but said it will not increase tariffs on Chinese imports until mid-2027.
In an online filing, the US trade representative’s office set out the conclusions of a year-long investigation into Beijing’s control of the semiconductor industry that was started under the Biden administration.
The filing argued that China could “weaponise dependencies” and use its control of the global chip industry to economically coerce other countries. Its efforts to dominate the industry were based on practices that “run counter to fair competition and market-oriented principles”, the USTR added.