US tariffs affect more Chinese goods than previously thought, report says

A regular monitoring report of G20 trade policies has found that US restrictions have affected $369 billion of Chinese goods – almost $90 billion more than the commonly cited figure.

The Global Trade Alert, authored by two University of St Gallen academics and quoted by Reuters, said that media reports stating that $278 billion of Chinese imports have so far been hit with US tariffs do not take into account other restrictive measures.

“This year has also seen $47 billion of Chinese good shipments to the United States targeted by other US trade distortions,” the report read. “Furthermore, over $43 billion of Chinese exports have been caught up in other US trade distortions that affect multiple countries.”

Including the additional trade distortions, the reports adds, a third more Chinese exports are falling under the influence of the trade war than is commonly reported.