2018年CRI U.S. tariffs increases costs for its own enterprises: observers

 

Observers in the United States are warning that additional tariffs¹ imposed by the U.S. on Chinese products could put its own companies at risk.

US tariffs on 34 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports took effect last Friday, targeting products from sectors³ such as aerospace⁴, auto⁵ parts and medical equipment.

Chinese authorities immediately brought in retaliatory⁶ tariffs on US products amounting to 34 billion US dollars as well.

Ralph Ives, the executive vice-President of Global Strategy and Analysis with the Advanced Medical Technology Association based in the United States, says the tariffs are likely to result in a lot of pain at home.

"Importing the components⁷ is going to be a cost pressure, and there's going to be pressures in terms of our (American) manufacturers because their costs are going to increase and they're not going to be reimbursed⁸ for those additional costs," says Ives.

Mary Lovely, researcher at the Washington-DC-based Peterson Institute for International Economics, says her research is suggesting multinationals⁹ are more likely to pay the price.

"Instead we find that it is American, European, and Japanese multinationals that are operating in China and selling back to the United States (the goods) that the tariffs are placed on. (Those) goods are then further processed into goods that are sold inside the American market or exported by American-based companies," says Lovely.

Chad Bown, another senior researcher with Peterson Institute for International Economics, says products from multinationals operating in China actually account for a greater proportion of Chinese imports, especially in sectors such as computer and electronic products.

"87% of the U.S. imports are not coming in from Chinese companies. They are coming in from American, Japanese, (South) Korean, European, lots of multinationals, but they're not Chinese. So that's why it's strange to input¹⁰ taxes. The U.S. tariffs are hitting mostly non-Chinese firms, the subsidiaries of American companies and companies of allies," says Bown.

In the wake of the new tariffs, US companies affected¹¹ by additional charges now face the option of either paying more to export their products to China or try to redirect their inventories¹² to other countries.

However, Ralph Ives with the Advanced Medical Technology Association notes that changing to another country could end up costing US companies more in the long-run.

"It's not as easy as just saying 'Oh, I was getting this product from China, I think tomorrow I'll go to Malaysia.' It's because, for two reasons, one is that they have to find that supplier and they have to make sure that is a reliable supplier, and then they have to go to the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and make sure that the product is consistent with the product that they have approval on the U.S. market. And those all take time, particularly for smaller manufacturers," says Ives.

Ives notes negotiations¹³ are underway between the US medical equipment sector² and Chinese authorities to determine whether companies involved in the medical industry might be exempt¹⁴ from the current trade fight.

1 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

5 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

6 retaliatory   

adj.报复的

参考例句：

• The process can take years before the WTO approves retaliatory action. 在WTO通过此行动之前，这个程序恐怕要等上一阵子了。 来自互联网
• Retaliatory tariffs on China are tantamount to taxing ourselves as a punishment. 将惩罚性关税强加于中国相当于对我们自己实施课税惩罚。 来自互联网

7 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

8 reimbursed   

v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the firm's business will be reimbursed. 由公司业务产生的开销都可以报销。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Employees are reimbursed for any legal fees incurred when they relocate. 员工调往异地工作时，他们可以报销由此产生的所有法律服务费用。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 multinationals   

跨国公司( multinational的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。
• Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。

10 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

12 inventories   

n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制

参考例句：

• In other cases, such as inventories, inputs and outputs are both continuous. 在另一些情况下，比如存货，其投入和产出都是持续不断的。
• The store must clear its winter inventories by April 1st. 该店必须在4月1日前售清冬季存货。

13 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

14 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。