US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Wednesday that he was examining all available tools to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese vehicles to the 40 percent duties that China is now charging on U.S.-produced vehicles.
Lighthizer said in a statement criticizing China's "egregious" tariffs on U.S. autos that he was taking such action at the direction of President Donald Trump.
The statement came just days before Trump is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires in a showdown that could ease or worsen the trade war between the world's two largest economies.
Automotive duties on both sides have been increased by tit-for-tat tariffs. The United States imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese vehicles on top of the 2.5 per cent it normally charges. China had lowered tariffs for all other countries to 15 per cent but imposed an additional 25 per cent retaliatory tariff on US vehicles.
The Trump administration is seeking sweeping changes to China's state-driven economic policies, including new protections for US intellectual property, an end to joint-venture requirements, more access for US firms to China's vast market and cuts to China's industrial subsidies.
"As the President has repeatedly noted, China's aggressive, State-directed industrial policies are causing severe harm to U.S. workers and manufacturers," Lighthizer said. "We are continuing to raise these issues with China. As of yet, China has not come to the table with proposals for meaningful reform."