The Biden administration announced a new trade investigation on Monday, focusing on Chinese-manufactured “old generation” semiconductors. This move could lead to additional U.S. tariffs on chips that power everyday products such as cars, washing machines, and telecom equipment.
The Section 301 investigation, initiated just four weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on January 20, will be handed over to the incoming administration for completion. This investigation may serve as a foundation for Trump’s proposed 60% tariffs on Chinese imports.
In his final weeks, outgoing President Joe Biden imposed a 50% tariff on Chinese semiconductors, effective January 1. Additionally, his administration implemented stricter export restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, memory chips, and chip manufacturing equipment destined for China. Tariffs on Chinese solar panels and polysilicon were also increased to 50%.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which oversees the investigation, stated the goal is to safeguard market-oriented chip manufacturers from the surge in China’s domestic chip production.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai emphasized that Beijing’s aggressive policies target global dominance in the semiconductor industry. She compared these efforts to China’s expansion in sectors like steel, aluminum, solar panels, electric vehicles, and critical minerals.
“This allows Chinese companies to rapidly increase production capacity and offer artificially low-priced chips, harming or potentially eliminating their market-driven competitors,” Tai explained.
The Biden administration has invited public comments on the investigation starting January 6, with a public hearing scheduled for March 11–12. However, it remains unclear if Trump’s nominee for USTR head, Jamieson Greer, will secure Senate confirmation before the hearing.
The investigation falls under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a statute invoked by Trump in 2018 and 2019 to impose tariffs of up to 25% on approximately $370 billion worth of Chinese imports. The resulting trade war with Beijing lasted nearly three years.
If Trump inherits the investigation, it must be concluded within a year of its launch. The scope includes both imported chips and their use in critical industries like defense, automotive products, and medical devices. The inquiry will also target China’s production of silicon carbide substrates and wafers essential for semiconductor manufacturing.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo revealed disturbing findings from her department’s research: Two-thirds of US products that rely on chips use older-generation chips made in China. Half of US companies, including those in the defense sector, do not know the origin of their chips.
“These findings are very troubling,” Raimondo said, adding, “This undermines U.S. companies and increases dependency on China for critical components.”
Despite partisan divides, China tariffs represent a rare area of alignment between the Biden and Trump administrations. Biden upheld all tariffs imposed during Trump’s tenure and even expanded them. For example, he imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), effectively barring their entry into the U.S. market.
