Donald Trump hits Australian exports to US with new higher trade tariff over claims of ‘forced labour’ | Australia news

Donald Trump has hit Australian exports with new trade duties, claiming the country is not doing enough to combat forced labour, but the Albanian government has demanded he lift those duties immediately.

The United States announced on Friday morning (AEST) that many Australian exports are now subject to a new 12.5% ​​tariff as part of a wider regime affecting dozens of countries. But the Albanian government says Australia’s three biggest export categories, including beef and gold, will avoid a tariff hit.

Australia is on a list of 54 economies deemed “to have failed to prohibit and effectively enforce imports of goods produced with forced labor,” the US commerce department said in a statement. Other countries facing 12.5 percent tariffs include Brazil, China, Egypt, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia and Singapore.

Economies on a separate list, including the UK, India, Indonesia, Canada and Mexico, will be subject to a lower 10% tariff after the US claimed they had merely “failed to enforce” forced labor bans.

Friday’s news follows an earlier threat from the Trump administration to level such tariffs, which came after the US supreme court rejected Trump’s 10% global tariffs earlier this year.

Trump responded to this court decision by immediately announcing temporary trade sanctions, which will expire today.

Australian government sources have previously told Guardian Australia they believe tariffs on forced labor have been leveled to replace duties abolished by the courts.

U.S. congresswoman Linda Sánchez, a Democrat from California, called the excuse for the new tariffs bogus.

“President Trump is not serious about combating forced labor. He is trying to get around the Supreme Court and Congress to reimpose illegal tariffs,” Sánchez wrote on social media.

The American trade action document claims that “the United States is the only country in the world that prohibits and effectively enforces imports involving forced labor.”

“President Trump asks all trading partners to join the United States in eliminating forced labor from global supply chains.”

In total, the tariffs apply to “the 60 largest U.S. trading partners, covering 99.4% of U.S. imports,” according to a statement from the commerce department.

Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell called on the US to immediately change course.

“These tariffs are unfair, contrary to our free trade agreement, and should be removed,” Farrell said.

“Australia’s measures to combat forced labor and modern slavery are among the strongest in the world, and we are recognized for our leadership globally, including in the United States.”

At a subsequent press conference, Farrell said Australian exports to the US had increased since Trump’s so-called “liberation day” tariffs and that most of Australia’s biggest exports to Australia would not be affected, although he strongly protested the removal of trade barriers.

“This is beef, gold and copper… I don’t see any reason to think this won’t continue,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told ABC radio that US actions “don’t make any sense”.

“Forced labor is definitely something that needs to be fought around the world, so we support this goal,” he said. “But we have laws that are some of the strongest in the world, and we say that to the Trump administration.”

The US trade action document setting out the new tariffs includes exemptions for a number of products, including beef; agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits; aircraft parts; some coal, petroleum, mineral and chemical products; some metal and steel products; timber products; and machines.

This will generally apply to goods entering from 12.01am US eastern time (14.00 Aest) on 24 July, the document states.

The action specifically concerns Australia, stating that after an investigation, “the Trade Representative has decided to impose a 12.5 percent duty on Australian products, with a limited number of exemptions.”