President Joe Biden has proposed a significant increase in tariffs on certain steel and aluminium imports from China, marking another move in his protectionist agenda as he gears up for re-election against Donald Trump.

The White House announced the measure as a means to safeguard American jobs against what it termed “unfair” competition from Chinese imports. Biden, speaking to members of the United Steelworkers union in Pennsylvania, criticized China for allegedly subsidizing companies, resulting in artificially low prices that undercut US producers.

The proposal, if implemented, would see tariffs tripled on selected imports, aiming to address what Biden described as past damage to US industries, particularly in the steel sector, where tens of thousands of jobs were lost in the early 2000s due to Chinese imports.

However, the Chinese embassy in the US expressed strong opposition to the proposed tariffs, urging the US to refrain from actions that violate international trade rules. This move adds to existing tensions between the two economic powers and raises concerns about its impact on global economic growth and inflation.

The Biden administration also announced plans to investigate alleged unfair trade practices in other sectors such as shipbuilding and logistics, signaling a broader effort to address perceived trade imbalances with China.