Bill Hanvey, Auto Care Association president and CEO, reacted to the USTR four-year review of Section 301 China tariffs.

“We commend the Biden Administration and the USTR for their thorough review of the Section 301 China tariffs that were implemented in 2018 as a way to address China’s unfair trade practices,” said Hanvey. “We applaud our members’ efforts in reducing their reliance on sourcing from China and investing in resilient U.S. supply chains. However, we want to reiterate that tariffs continue to negatively impact our members and the automotive aftermarket industry. Many products lack manufacturing alternatives outside of China due to infrastructure issues, significant investments in tooling and the knowledge to produce a high-quality safety product.

“We do not believe the Section 301 tariffs have forced China to address their technology transfer-related practices. Additionally, tariffs are not paid for by China; they are passed on to the final consumer, drive up consumer prices, and disrupt vehicle maintenance and repair schedules.

“As part of the USTR’s recommendations, we urge the USTR to establish a comprehensive and transparent exclusion process that encompasses all products while renewing the existing exclusions that are set to expire at the end of May. We eagerly anticipate ongoing collaboration to uphold fair trade practices and to safeguard the interests of American workers and businesses,” Hanvey said.

You can read more of the reaction and details from the Auto Care Association here.