Breaking: Trump unveils steep trade penalties, imposing duties of as much as 100% on foreign-made unmanned aircraft

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President Donald Trump announced on Thursday tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports of unmanned drones and their components to reduce US reliance on imports in an industry dominated by China.

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The US president justified the decision on national security grounds, according to a White House statement, detailing a 100 percent duty rate on the import of certain unmanned aircraft systems, including those with a take-off weight of more than 25 kilograms and with national security capabilities such as thermal imagers and docking stations.

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Smaller drones face a 25 percent tariff.

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The statement said the tariffs will “encourage increased domestic production” of drones and their components and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

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The Chinese company DJI, founded in 2006, has captured more than two-thirds of the global drone market in recent years, according to several studies.

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Most of the new tariffs duties are take effect September 3.

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Last week, China announced restrictions on drone exports to the United States and blacklisted six companies in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over forced labor and national security concerns.

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That move came days after the US imposed fresh tariffs on China and 59 countries.

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AFP

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