China Imposes 74.9% Tariffs on U.S., EU, Japan, Taiwan Plastics

In a significant development that could further strain global trade relations, China on Sunday announced sweeping anti-dumping duties of up to 74.9% on imports of POM copolymers—a high-performance engineering plastic—from the United States, European Union, Japan, and Taiwan.

The move follows a months-long investigation launched in May 2024 by China’s Ministry of Commerce. The probe began shortly after the U.S. imposed steep tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, semiconductors, and other key exports.

Beijing’s new tariffs target a plastic widely used in automotive parts, electronics, and medical devices, as it can partially replace metals such as copper and zinc.

According to the commerce ministry, the investigation confirmed that dumping—selling goods in China at unfairly low prices—was indeed occurring. Preliminary duties had already been in place since January 24 in the form of security deposits, but the final ruling on Sunday formalized the tariffs and specified the rates for each region and company.

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U.S. exporters face the steepest penalties, with duties reaching as high as 74.9%. European shipments will be subject to 34.5% tariffs, while most Japanese exports will see a 35.5% duty.

Notably, Japanese firm Asahi Kasei Corp received a reduced, company-specific rate of 24.5%. Imports from Taiwan will generally face a 32.6% duty, though major firms Formosa Plastics and Polyplastics Taiwan were given significantly lower rates of 4% and 3.8%, respectively.

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The announcement arrives amid cautious optimism over a possible thaw in U.S.-China trade tensions. Earlier this week, both sides agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs under a 90-day truce, fueling hopes of a broader deal.

However, China’s latest move signals that economic friction between the world’s largest economies remains far from resolved.

Meanwhile, concerns over the broader state of the global trading system persist. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group recently concluded a summit in South Korea with a communique highlighting the “fundamental challenges” facing international commerce in an era of heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

As nations continue to navigate the complexities of protectionism, technological rivalry, and economic nationalism, China’s anti-dumping decision marks yet another chapter in the evolving story of global trade realignment.