USTR requests comments on proposed tariff increases covering tungsten products, wafers, polysilicon

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released a notice requesting comments on proposed increases to Section 301 tariff rates on five subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) covering certain tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon.

The five subheadings proposed for tariff increases are:

• 8101.94.00 (Tungsten, unwrought (including bars and rods obtained simply by sintering))
• 8101.99.10 (Tungsten bars and rods (o/than those obtained simply by sintering), profiles, plates, sheets, strip and foil)
• 8101.99.80 (Tungsten, articles nesoi)
• 2804.61.00 (Silicon containing by weight not less than 99.99 percent of silicon)
• 3818.00.00 (Chemical elements doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers etc., chemical compounds doped for electronic use)

Interested parties can submit comments on the USTR comments portal through October 22, 2024.

Background

The USTR earlier this month announced certain modifications to the actions taken in the Section 301 investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, including imposing additional Section 301 duties or increasing the rate of existing Section 301 duties, on certain products of China in strategic sectors. Read TradeNewsFlash

In addition, the USTR proposed increasing Section 301 tariff rates on five subheadings of the HTSUS covering certain tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon.