US Expands Forced Labor Import Restrictions on Chinese Steel, Copper, Lithium

The Trump administration has expanded enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act by designating steel, copper, lithium, caustic soda, and red dates imported from China as high-priority sectors for inspection to prevent goods made with forced labor from entering the U.S. market. Alongside this, the Department of Commerce imposed 50% tariffs on 407 additional product categories, including wind turbines, railcars, and heavy equipment, as part of broader trade measures aimed at addressing unfair Chinese trade practices. The enforcement effort, led by the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force chaired by the Department of Homeland Security, also added 78 new entities to a blacklist, increasing the total to 144. These moves align with President Trump's wider trade strategy to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China and pressure Beijing on issues such as fentanyl shipments. U.S. steel and lithium producers may benefit from reduced Chinese imports and higher domestic pricing power amid these restrictions. These developments reflect a coordinated approach to both curbing forced labor and managing trade tensions with China.