The Trump administration said on Tuesday that China’s increasing dominance of the semiconductor industry had disadvantaged U.S. companies, workers and the economy, concluding a trade investigation that started during the Biden administration.

川普政府週二表示，中國在半導體行業日益增強的主導地位使美國公司、工人和經濟處於不利地位，這為一項始於拜登政府時期的貿易調查畫上了句號。

But while the Office of the United States Trade Representative said that actions against China were appropriate, it chose not to impose additional tariffs on Chinese chips for at least 18 months. A filing from the trade office said the government would impose an initial tariff of zero percent on Chinese semiconductors exports before increasing it in June 2027 by an undetermined amount.

不過，儘管認為對中國採取行動是合適的，美國貿易代表辦公室還是決定至少在未來18個月內不對中國晶片加徵額外關稅。貿易辦公室的一份文件稱，政府將先對中國半導體出口徵收0%的初始關稅，並計劃於2027年6月起上調關稅，具體幅度尚未確定。

The decision to punt on additional tariffs, at least for now, comes as the Trump administration is trying to maintain a truce with China after a devastating trade spat earlier this year. In April, President Trump raised tariffs on China, only to have Beijing respond by cutting off exports of vital minerals and ceasing purchases of American soybeans. China later promised to restore their mineral exports as part of a trade truce that also saw the United States lower tariffs.

決定暫緩加徵額外關稅（至少在目前）之際，川普政府正試圖在今年早些時候一場破壞性貿易衝突後維持與中國的休戰。4月，川普總統提高了對中國的關稅，結果北京方面以切斷關鍵礦物出口和停止購買美國大豆作為回應。作為貿易休戰的一部分，中國後來承諾恢復礦物出口，美國也降低了關稅。

The trade investigation on semiconductors was started in the final months of the Biden administration. It focused on China’s production of older-model semiconductors, which are widely used in smartphones, cars, dishwashers, refrigerators, weaponry and telecommunications networks.

針對半導體的貿易調查始於拜登政府任期的最後幾個月，它重點關注中國生產的舊型號半導體。這類晶片被廣泛用於智慧型手機、汽車、洗碗機、冰箱、武器裝備以及通信網路。

Republicans and Democrats have grown concerned in recent years that the United States’ growing dependence on these products could pose a national security threat. China has invested heavily in the production of older kinds of semiconductors, making it difficult for U.S. factories making similar products to stay in business.

近些年來，兩黨人士都日益擔憂，美國對這些產品不斷加深的依賴可能構成國家安全威脅。中國已在舊型號半導體生產上投入巨資，使得生產同類產品的美國工廠難以為繼。

Mr. Trump has proposed imposing other tariffs on semiconductor imports as part of a national security-related legal provision known as Section 232. While those tariffs were originally expected to be announced over the summer, administration officials have been weighing how to issue the levies so that they encourage U.S. manufacturing and do not disrupt ties with China.

川普還曾提議，依據一項與國家安全相關、被稱為「232條款」的法律規定，對半導體進口加徵其他關稅。儘管這些關稅原本預計將在夏季宣布，但政府官員一直在權衡如何推出相關措施，以鼓勵美國本土製造的同時，又不至於破壞與中國的關係。

It is not yet clear how the administration will rule on such a measure, but analysts have said that Beijing could view tariffs on its products as an affront. Other actions directed at China have proceeded. On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on the sale of new foreign-made drones in the United States, while earlier this month the United States carried out a large arms sale to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own.

目前尚不清楚政府就此類措施將如何定奪，但分析人士表示，北京可能會把加徵關稅的做法視為一種侮辱。針對中國的其他行動仍在繼續。週一，美國聯邦通信委員會宣布禁止在美國銷售新的外國製造無人機，而本月早些時候，美國向中國聲稱擁有主權的自治島嶼台灣進行了大規模軍售。

Sara Schuman, a former U.S. trade official who is now managing director at Beacon Global Strategies, said that Beijing was “very sensitive” about U.S. actions targeted at China or Chinese companies, but that actions intended to build up American industrial capacity that were not explicitly targeted at China would not raise the same level of concern.

曾任美國貿易官員、現為燈塔全球戰略公司董事總經理的薩拉·舒曼表示，北京對美國針對中國或中國企業的行動「非常敏感」，但如果相關行動旨在增強美國自身的工業能力，且並未明確針對中國，則不太會引發同等程度的關切。

“The administration seems to be threading this needle right now by moving forward with global actions in which China is just one of the countries impacted,” she said.

「政府似乎正在小心拿捏分寸，通過推進一些並不僅針對中國的全球性舉措來行動，」她說。