【Text by Observer Net, Zhang Jiadong; Editor by Gao Xin】

According to Reuters, on July 17 local time, the U.S. Department of Commerce stated that it will impose a 93.5% antidumping duty on imported anode-grade graphite from China, in addition to existing tariff rates, making the actual tariff rate as high as 160%. The department said that the selling price of these materials in the United States is below fair market value.

This tariff applies to anode-grade graphite materials with a minimum carbon content of 90% (by weight), which is a key material for power batteries. The International Energy Agency (IEA) pointed out that graphite will remain the mainstream anode material for various lithium-ion batteries in the medium term, and silicon-based materials are expected to begin gradually taking market share from 2030 onwards.

Bloomberg

According to the import volume in 2023, the new tariff law will affect products worth about $340 million (approximately 2.44 billion RMB). Data from Bloomberg NEF shows that the United States imported 180,000 tons of graphite products last year, two-thirds of which came from China. The IEA also said that graphite materials are one of the critical minerals with potential supply risks.

In May this year, the U.S. Department of Commerce launched an independent countervailing duty investigation into Chinese anode-grade graphite materials and claimed that it had determined that the graphite products imported from China were subject to "unfair subsidies."

Since the beginning of this year, after Trump took office, the United States has continuously increased export control measures on key minerals and battery technologies from China, and reduced investments in the electrification transition to reduce its reliance on Chinese goods and technology. Some analysis institutions said that the further increase in graphite tariffs might also be part of this effort.

Sam Adham, head of battery materials at consulting firm CRU Group, said that the additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese graphite products would be a major blow to battery manufacturers. He analyzed, "A 160% tariff would add an average of $7 (about 50.2 RMB) per kilowatt-hour to the cost of automotive power batteries. This amount would erode the profits of battery manufacturers for one or two quarters."

It is worth noting that when the American Active Anode Material Producers Association proposed to conduct an investigation earlier this year, foreign media had warned that increasing the tariffs on imported anode materials could have a significant impact on companies such as Tesla, Panasonic, and others that rely on this material and produce power batteries and electric vehicles in the United States.

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