Brazil has imposed new tariffs on various imports from China and other Asian nations, including iron, steel and fibre optic cable, in what officials say is an effort to combat dumping.
The Executive Committee of the Foreign Trade Chamber (Gecex), composed of ministerial advisers appointed by the presidency, announced the measures last Thursday.
According to news resource the South China Morning Post, the committee justified the tariffs by citing a "significant increase in imports that harmed national production".
Most of the tariffs will last only about six months while the Ministry of Foreign Trade investigates alleged irregular trade practices.
The tariffs on Chinese imports includes a 35% increase on fibre optic cables; and a 25% increase on iron and steel products. A number of other items are on the list, ranging from sodium chlorite, metal foils and nebulisers to tarpaulins, PVC laminates and sewing thread.
It has been mentioned that most of the tariffs seem to focus on Chinese goods. However, officials have denied targeting any specific country. In fact the Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Rio de Janeiro in a few weeks to sign several trade agreements as Brazil joins China's Belt and Road Initiative.
Last year, Brazilian authorities launched investigations into possible dumping and irregular subsidies by China regarding fibre optics and cables. However, the new tariffs are supposedly separate from that investigation, which should conclude within 18 months.
Its’s not clear how China feels about these tariffs, although analysts quoted in news reports do not feel there will be an aggressive response.
