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DAVOS, Switzerland — When the Trump administration unveiled tariffs on imports of solar panels and washing machines — industries dominated by Chinese and South Korean businesses — they deliberately applied them to products from around the world.!
The move on Monday, in the eyes of United States trade officials, reflected the complexities of modern global trade. Though companies from just two countries account for the lion’s share of both sectors, those firms have set up factories in multiple locations across national borders.
As a result, the tariffs will affect factories and workers in a variety of countries, reflecting the globalized supply chains and byzantine corporate ownership structures that are at the heart of many ubiquitous products.
The solar panel case in particular has been a case study in that complexity. Suniva, one of the American solar companies that had sought the tariffs, filed for bankruptcy protection last year, citing the effects of Chinese imports. But the majority owner of Suniva is itself Chinese, and the company’s American bankruptcy trustee supported the trade litigation over the objections of the Chinese owners.
Here is a rundown of the wide-ranging impact the new tariffs may have.
www.nytimes.com