After US and EU Raise Concerns About Hong Kong Extradition Bill, Beijing Retaliates With Added Tariffs

Oil seamless casing pipes are transported at a pipe rolling plant of the Tianjin Pipe Group Corp, the largest seamless casing maker in China, on March 21, 2008 in Tianjin, China. China Photos/Getty Images

After the United States and European Union publicly expressed concerns that the controversial Hong Kong extradition bill could impact the city’s status as an international financial hub, the Chinese regime increased tariffs by 4 to 10 times on U.S. and EU-made seamless steel pipes.

Commentators analyzed that this could be a retaliatory move by Beijing after the two governments’ open criticisms.