TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China said Friday (April 19) it would levy extra tariffs on Taiwan's polycarbonate exports to China.

The products will face anti-dumping tariffs of up to 22.4% beginning Saturday (April 20), according to China’s Ministry of Commerce. The ministry announced November 2022 that it was going to conduct an investigation into polycarbonate imports.

The timing of the punitive measures could be interpreted as targeting the May 20 presidential inauguration, the Liberty Times commented. In the run-up to the January presidential elections, China took action against imports from Taiwan, from banning certain fruits and farm products, to ending preferential tariffs for petrochemicals.

China’s ministry said the alleged dumping by Taiwanese producers had harmed its own polycarbonate sector, providing sufficient grounds for the introduction of anti-dumping measures.

Two Taiwanese exporters would be subject to 9% tariffs, two would face 12.2%, while others would have to pay the maximum 22.4% tariff. In 2022, exports to China accounted for 78.5% of Taiwan’s total polycarbonate exports, with a value of US$830 million (NT$26.98 billion).