"We're Serious About Tariffs" Trump Lists 8 Non-Tariff Barriers

Currency Manipulation·VAT·Dumping·Subsidies, etc.

President Donald Trump on the 20th (local time) introduced eight representative types of 'Non-Tariff Cheating' that global trade partners have taken against the U.S., asserting the legitimacy of his tariff policy.

On this day, President Trump wrote on his own social media, Truth Social, "Since the declaration of 'Liberation Day,' many world leaders and business executives have come to me to request tariff relief," adding, "It's a good thing that the world knows we are serious."

He continued, "They must correct decades of unfair practices against the U.S. But it won't be easy for them," and argued, "We must rebuild the wealth of our great country and establish true reciprocity."

He emphasized, "To those who want the easiest path, my message is 'Come to America, and build (facilities) in America.'"

In another Truth Social post, President Trump listed eight details of 'Non-Tariff Cheating' that trade partners have taken against the U.S.

He first mentioned currency manipulation, referring to exchange rate manipulation, and listed value-added tax acting as tariffs and export subsidies, dumping below cost, export subsidies, and government subsidies.

He also cited agricultural standards and technical standards to protect domestic industries as non-tariff barriers, presenting the European Union's (EU) ban on genetically modified corn imports as an example of agricultural standards, and Japan's bowling ball test as an example of technical standards.

President Trump pointed out issues of intellectual property (IP) such as counterfeiting, piracy, and infringement, claiming that they cause an annual loss of $1 trillion (about 1,424 trillion won). He also noted transshipping to avoid tariffs as one of the non-tariff barriers.

Reporter Goh Jung-sam, Hankyung.com jsk@hankyung.com