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Simon Zhavoronkov Donald Trump Gage Skidmore/Flickr.com

US President Donald Trump introduced increased tariffs for the import of steel and aluminum into the country, temporary benefits are provided only for Mexico and Canada, Washington with them separately agrees on the revision of the terms of the Agreement on the North American Free Trade Zone (NAFTA).

The President said that he was introducing 25 percent duties for the import of steel and 10 percent for the import of aluminum. New customs tariffs will begin to operate in 15 days.

“A country that does not protect its well -being at home will not be able to protect its interests abroad,” Trump said. The live broadcast of the ceremony of signing the document, which was attended by workers of various metallurgical companies, was conducted in YouTube.

Trump also called the steel and aluminum industry "vital for national security." In his opinion, American industry was “devastated” by aggressive ways of conducting foreign trade that other countries practice.

In his speech, the president referred to the tweet of the founder of Tesla and SpaceX Ilona Mask. We recall, we wrote that the import of American cars in China is taxed with a 25 percent duty, and the import of Chinese in the USA-2.5 percent. “Ilon wrote it, but everyone knows it,” said Trump, “[former presidents] have known this for years, they did nothing with it. It should change. ”

At the same time, Trump emphasized that the United States remain open to changes in tariffs and are even ready to cancel them for individual states. In particular, Trump promised exemption from tariffs for countries that "fairly relate to us in matters of trade." At the same time, he promised to take into account relations between countries, including the military.

Separately, Trump mentioned Canada and Mexico; for these countries, a 30-day delay is provided for the introduction of new duties. The President said that if Washington, Ottava and Mexico City will not be able to agree on new conditions for the extension of the NAFTA agreement, the United States will simply withdraw from the agreement.

US Minister Wilbur Ross explained that Trump raised duties for the whole world, since the goal was to fight the “transshipment of goods through third countries”, which is engaged in China. Beijing replaces the demand for goods in third countries, and then organizes their supply to the United States, Ross explained.

Meanwhile, it cannot be said that Trump’s decision in the United States supports everything. So, the speaker of the House of US representatives Paul Ryan, also a representative of the Republican Party, believes that it would be better to organize “surgical” actions against China. “I am not a fan of wide tariffs, because I believe that we will meet with a lot of unforeseen consequences,” the congressman said.

Also against the input of duties on steel and aluminum were opposed by Trump adviser to Gary Kon. When the president still announced the signing of the decree, he resigned.

One of the arguments against the duties is that the help of the steel industry will actually do not give a significant positive effect, and only 140 thousand people work in this industry, but about 6.5 million people work in industries that purchase steel. When the American government last time tried to help steel, under Jodge Bush Jr., industry actually lost their demand and steel prices in the American market went up.

Not only China will suffer from duties, one of the main suppliers of steel in the United States is the European Union. So far, in Brussels they have not come up with anything better, how to threaten duties on the import of whiskey, peanut oil, jeans, motorcycles and some other goods.

See also: the EU hope for the exception of the list of new duties in the United States Anna Sakoyan American duties: the reaction of exporters Anna Sakoyan Trump and steel duties