Donald Trump criticises Japan¡¯s ¡®bowling ball test¡¯, lists 8 global practices he claims distort trade & undermine US interests

US President Donald Trump has announced a warning to countries he says are taking unfair trade actions that hurt American interests. In an eight-point list shared on Monday night (as per Indian time), Trump laid out several non-tariff practices that he believes are damaging US trade relationships. This statement came just days after he decided to temporarily halt sweeping tariffs on most countries ¡ª with China as a key exception.

The eight non-tariff practices Trump opposes

Trump¡¯s list of non-tariff concerns includes a mix of trade tactics used by various countries. One of the most prominent issues he raised was currency manipulation ¡ª a practice where countries devalue their currencies to make their exports cheaper and more attractive abroad. This, Trump said, makes American products more expensive in comparison.

He also mentioned Value-Added Taxes (VATs). Many countries apply VATs to imported goods but refund them on exports. Trump claimed this gives those countries an edge in trade by adding extra cost to American imports while making their own exports cheaper.

Other points in his list included dumping products below cost, government subsidies for exports, and protective agricultural standards. Trump also took aim at piracy, counterfeiting, intellectual property theft, and transshipping ¡ª where goods are sent through other countries to avoid tariffs.

Japan's ¡®bowling ball test¡¯ comes up again

Trump once again raised his claim about Japan¡¯s ¡°bowling ball test.¡± He explained that Japanese regulators allegedly dropped a bowling ball from 20 feet onto a car¡¯s hood. If the hood dents, the car reportedly fails to qualify for sale in Japan. Trump said this kind of technical trade standard was unfair to American automakers trying to enter the Japanese market. This is not the first time he has talked about this claim ¡ª he first made the same point back in 2018.

Tariff pause for most countries, but not China

US President Donald Trump | Credit: X

Earlier this month, on April 9, Trump declared a 90-day pause on the broad set of tariffs he had imposed on all countries except China. This move surprised many. According to Trump, more than 75 countries had chosen not to retaliate against his tariffs, which helped him decide on the pause. During this period, he said that a reduced reciprocal tariff of 10 per cent would remain in effect.

He said that concerns within the US Treasury Department, especially regarding movements in the bond market, had influenced his decision to pause. Trump noted that the bond market had made some observers uneasy, pushing him to reconsider the immediate implementation of higher tariffs. He added that the pause announcement was written "from the heart" and without legal assistance.

China faces sharper tariffs amid ongoing tensions

While most countries received a temporary break from the tariffs, Trump raised tariffs on China to 125 per cent, up from the previous 104 per cent. After Beijing retaliated, the US further increased tariffs to 145 per cent. Trump explained this by saying that China has shown a lack of respect toward world markets.

He also added that China wants a deal, though they have not yet figured out how to proceed. Trump mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping is a proud leader, and while the process is unclear, he believed that an agreement was possible in the future.

Despite the intense trade standoff, Trump remained hopeful that US-China talks could lead to a resolution. "Yeah, we're talking to China," he said, adding that China had reached out multiple times.

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