How China-US trade dispute is affecting tanners
14/03/2019
Speaking at APLF 2019 in Hong Kong, Mr Chen said that, according to CLIA’s figures, the US is the source of more than 40% of the hides that Chinese tanners source. It’s also the second-most important source (after Brazil) of semi-finished hides, with 13% of the total in 2018.
However, the CLIA secretary general said a 5% increase on the tariffs that apply to these imports from the US since the start of trade tensions in 2018 are now making life difficult for Chinese tanners. With a tariff of 8% already in place for these imports, the increase takes the total tariff currently payable by tanners to 13%.
Mr Chen repeated a point that CLIA made last year that the Chinese government wanted to increase these tariffs by 10%, which would have taken the overall figure to 18%, but relented at the request of CLIA.
“The increase is already affecting companies,” Mr Chen said, “and affecting import volumes.” He said CLIA is in contact with the US Hide Skin and Leather Association (USHSLA) and he insisted the two organisations “want to resolve this issue together”.
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