[U.S. Tariffs] The United States launches a new round of trade investigations against 16 trading partners including China, Japan, South Korea, and Europe, paving the way for new tariff measures

The U.S. Trump administration announced the launch of a new round of trade investigations targeting 16 major trading partners, including China, the European Union, India, South Korea, and Japan. The aim is to pave the way for new tariffs to replace the old tariffs overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday (the 11th) that the investigation will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act, focusing on alleged excess manufacturing capacity in major economies. The U.S. may impose new tariffs on these countries before summer.

These investigations typically take several months to complete and are a necessary step for President Trump to unilaterally impose import tariffs on countries believed to engage in unfair trade practices. Other trading partners under excess capacity investigations include Taiwan, Thailand, Switzerland, and Norway. Canada, the United States’ second-largest trading partner, was not included in the investigation.

Tariff Revenue Has Fallen for Four Consecutive Months

Trump has repeatedly emphasized that his tariff policies generate revenue. However, according to the U.S. Treasury Department’s February financial report released on Wednesday (the 11th), February tariff revenue was $26.59 billion, down from $27.74 billion in January, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline after the Supreme Court overturned most of Trump’s tariffs. The report also shows that from October last year to February this year, the five-month cumulative deficit exceeded $1 trillion.