CHINA/TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s efforts to block imports are bringing back a long-forgotten headache for manufacturers: the quota. U.S. officials have so far largely relied on tariffs—essentially taxes at the border—in their efforts to reduce imports of steel, aluminum and Chinese goods. But some countries are accepting hard limits, or quotas, on their shipments as they strike deals with the Trump administration to avoid the tariffs. The shift toward quotas began after President Donald Trump said in March that he would impose world-wide tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on national security grounds. Broad barriers, he argued, were needed to protect American metals producers from a glut emanating from China. Most U.S. steel imports come from American allies, and Mr. Trump offered some of these countries temporary exemptions from the 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum while they negotiated deals to avoid the levies.”
-Kwanwoo Jun and William Mauldin, “Quotas Make a Comeback as Countries Seek U.S. Tariff Exemptions,” The Wall Street Journal online, May 11, 2018 5:30 am