The US has imposed tariffs on China’s EVs to stifle competition, the Russian president has said

US authorities have imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) because they have become better, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a press conference in the city of Harbin during his two-day trip to China.

Putin suggested that Washington wanted to prevent strong competitors from entering the American market, and described the US approach as “unfair competition.”

“Unfortunately, the way the world works today, sometimes situations arise related to unfair competition. This is how the Americans recently imposed tariffs on Chinese electric transport, on electric cars,” he said.

“Why? Because Chinese cars have gotten better.”

As soon as another country emerges as a manufacturing power and becomes more competitive, it is suppressed in the US and in the EU alike, Putin claimed.

US officials have repeatedly described China as America’s top “competitor,” while tightening economic restrictions against the country.

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US slaps steep tariffs on China

Earlier this week Washington hiked tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods including EVs, batteries, semiconductors, steel, aluminum, critical minerals, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, and medical products, while retaining tariffs on over $300 billion worth of goods imposed by previous US President Donald Trump.

Tariffs on Chinese goods were hiked significantly under Trump, who launched the first volley in a tit-for-tat trade war that began in 2018.

A similarly hostile approach has continued under his successor, Joe Biden, who has adopted several policies aimed at the Chinese economy.

Chinese officials have repeatedly denounced US trade and tech policy, describing it as “economic bullying.” The Chinese government has taken several countermeasures to retaliate against US sanctions. Among them are restrictions on exports of strategic raw materials used in defense technologies, electronics, and clean energy.

The International Monetary Fund warned last week that the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing was threatening global economic growth.