China’s Shipbuilders Slam New U.S. Fees Amid Trade Tensions

On Saturday, China’s shipbuilders criticized new U.S. fees on ships connected to China, calling the move short-sighted. These fees were announced by President Donald Trump’s administration to help boost U.S. shipbuilding and reduce China’s influence over global shipping.

Trump signed an order on Wednesday aimed at helping American shipbuilders. However, the next day, his administration changed the rules to protect local exporters and shipowners who operate in certain U.S. areas like the Great Lakes and the Caribbean.

This disagreement over shipping, which is important because it carries 80% of global trade, is part of a growing trade war between China and the U.S. Both countries have imposed tariffs on each other’s goods of over 100%.

The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry expressed strong anger and disagreement with the U.S. actions, joining voices from the government and Chinese shipowners. They said the decline in the U.S. shipbuilding industry is due to its own protective policies, not because of China.

They warned that these new U.S. restrictions could disrupt global shipping, lead to higher shipping costs, increase inflation in the U.S., and harm American people’s interests. They urged the global shipping community to resist what they called short-sighted U.S. actions to keep the market fair.

The Chinese government also protested against these fees, asking the U.S. to fix its mistakes. The Ministry of Commerce promised to take necessary steps to protect China’s interests, stating that these fees show the U.S.’s tendency to act alone and protect its own market unfairly.