【明報專訊】US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP has imposed sweeping tariffs of 10% to 50% against more than 180 countries and regions around the globe. Not only are traditional allies no exception, but even unpopulated remote islands are on the list.
Trump claimed that they are ''reciprocal tariffs'' intended to ''restore fairness'' to the US, but the move is a flagrant bullying practice in gross violation of WTO rules. The way of calculating the tariff rates is also bizarre and ambiguous. It is unlikely to help the US eliminate its trade deficits, but merely push inflation up in the US and deal a blow to the world economy. However, crises may bring about opportunities. The aggravation of US trade protectionism may induce more countries to seek closer economic and trade cooperation with China.
The latest tariff measure is the largest in scale since Trump's return to the presidency, with an impact tantamount to a nuclear bomb dropped on the global trade system. The ''minimum charge'' is a 10% tariff, with African country Lesotho facing the highest rate of 50%. According to the White House's list, the US will levy an additional 34% duty on China, including Hong Kong and Macao, and 32% on Taiwan. In Southeast Asia, Cambodia (49%) and Vietnam (46%) will be charged the highest.
As for other major economies, the tariffs imposed on the EU, Japan, South Korea and India will be 20%, 24%, 25% and 26%. It is noteworthy that even Britain and Australia, staunch allies of the US, will be equally levied 10% tariffs, while Israel will be charged 17%.
In a bid to rationalise his protectionist measures, Trump tried to lump together tariff measures of other countries approved by the WTO with the US's bullying tariff practice, as if the US was the victim of ''unfair trade''. According to WTO rules, developing countries are entitled to levy tariffs under specified conditions to guarantee their rights to development; if other countries are dissatisfied, they can complain to the WTO and seek arbitration. By comparison, Trump's ''reciprocal tariffs'' were a total disregard of WTO rules.
The way of calculating the so-called ''reciprocal tariffs'' is also quite slipshod and casual. Nobel laureate in economics Paul Krugman commented straightly that the Trump administration has gone crazy, noting that the actual average tariff the EU charges on US goods is less than 3%—even counting value-added taxes, it is only about 20%. However, Trump claimed that the EU is charging the US a 39% tariff. Even more ridiculously, some unpopulated lands are also affected by the ''reciprocal tariffs''. Two sub-Antarctic islands of Australia will be subject to a 10% reciprocal tariff.
If the ''reciprocal tariffs'' are fully implemented, it will raise the cost of goods imported to the US and inevitably exacerbate inflation. The tariff money will go into the government's pocket, but ordinary Americans will become poorer as a result.
Beijing criticised the so-called ''reciprocal tariffs'' as a typical bullying practice that seriously erodes the multilateral trading system. China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its interests. The EU also emphasised that it is prepared to take retaliatory measures. Facing varying tariff rates, different countries have their own calculations. It is hard to expect the formation of a united front against the US tariff practice. However, various countries may seek to strengthen economic cooperation to reduce the impact of the ''reciprocal tariffs''. Just a few days ago, China, Japan and South Korea held a three-way economic dialogue in which they agreed to speed up talks on free trade agreements.
明報社評 2025.04.04：「對等關稅」大搞霸凌 泱泱大國行事兒戲
美國總統特朗普向全球逾180國家及地區，加徵10%至50%不等的關稅，不僅傳統盟友未能倖免，連杳無人煙的偏遠島嶼也榜上有名。
特朗普聲稱這是「對等關稅」，旨在為美國「討回公道」，實際不過是大搞霸凌，嚴重違反世貿規定，稅率計算方式更是奇怪又含糊，不見得能夠幫美國消滅貿易逆差，反而只會推高美國通脹、打擊世界經濟。然而有危必有機，美國貿易保護主義變本加厲，有可能促使更多國家，尋求跟中國加強經貿合作。
今次是特朗普回朝以來，規模最大的關稅措施，對全球貿易體系的衝擊，儼如投下一枚核彈。稅率「最低消費」是一成，非洲國家萊索托面對的關稅率最高，達到50%。根據白宮清單，美方將向中國加徵34%關稅，港澳包含其中；台灣的是32%。東南亞方面，以柬埔寨（49%）及越南（46%）最高。
至於其他主要經濟體，歐盟、日本、韓國和印度分別為20%、24%、25%、26%。值得留意是英國、澳洲作為美國鐵桿盟友，關稅照加一成；以色列被徵17%。
特朗普為合理化其貿易保護主義措施，試圖將其他國家獲世貿允許的關稅措施，跟美國關稅霸凌行徑混為一談，彷彿美國才是「貿易不公平」下的受害者。根據世貿規定，發展中國家可以在特定條件下徵收關稅，以保障其發展權利；其他國家若有不滿，可向世貿投訴尋求仲裁。相比之下，特朗普的「對等關稅」完全無視世貿規則。
所謂「對等關稅」的稅率計算方法，也相當粗疏和隨意。諾貝爾經濟學獎得主克魯明直指特朗普政府亂來，歐盟實際平均關稅不足3%，就算加上增值稅稅率亦不過兩成左右，但特朗普卻聲稱歐盟對美徵收的關稅為39%。更滑稽的是，一些杳無人煙之地，居然亦受「對等關稅」影響，澳洲就有兩個鄰近南極洲的屬地島嶼，被徵一成對等關稅。
「對等關稅」若全面落實，美國進口貨成本上升，勢必加劇通脹。關稅收入雖歸政府，但因此變窮的卻是一般美國人。
北京批評，所謂「對等關稅」嚴重損害多邊貿易體制，是典型的霸凌做法，中方將堅決採取反制措施，維護自身利益。歐盟亦強調已準備好採取反制措施。各地面對的稅率有低有高，不同國家各有盤算，難望形成統一戰線對抗美國關稅，但不同國家有可能會尋求加強經濟合作，以減少「對等關稅」衝擊。最近中日韓便舉行了三方經濟對話，同意加快推動自由貿易協商。
■/ Glossary 生字 /
deal a blow to sb/sth：to shock sb/sth very much; to be very harmful to sb/sth
tantamount (to sth)：having the same bad effect as sth else
staunch：always showing strong support in your opinions and attitude