Mixed reaction to US tariffs on foreign cars from consumers and auto industry
發佈日期: 2025-06-02 23:49
TVB News
With U.S. tariffs imposed on foreign vehicles, some industry representatives say the move will help rebuild the American auto sector.
But not everyone is convinced it will boost competitiveness.
Los Angeles driver Joys Wong has long been a user of European cars.
Just as she was planning to trade in her six-year-old car, news broke that U.S. President Donald Trump was mulling a 25 percent tariff hike on imported vehicles.
Wong sold her car immediately and paid for a new one of the same brand the next day before even taking a test drive.
Joys Wong said the levies forced her to make a crazy decision.
The day after Wong placed her order, the U.S. confirmed the new tariffs.
She paid 48,000 U.S. dollars for the vehicle.
Now, the same model costs over 55,000 U.S. dollars -- a jump of more than 50,000 Hong Kong dollars.
Wong said one friend, who urgently needed a car after an accident, ended up buying the same brand which cost 15,000 U.S. dollars more.
A 25 percent tariff hike also applies to imported car parts -- a move Trump insists won't create shortages as costs will simply be passed on to consumers.
Still, some customers don't seem to mind.
They believe tariffs could help revitalise domestic auto manufacturing.
Louie Liu, this auto repair shop owner in the San Francisco Bay Area, said American workers are the backbone of the economy.
He said, "If they don't have jobs, who's going to buy these products no matter how cheap they are?"
In the past, U.S. automakers slashed costs by building factories abroad.
But Liu believes the globalised model is losing appeal.
He said globalisation has decimated many countries' industrial foundations.
Some analysts argue the U.S. has already lost its lead in car manufacturing.
They warn that new tariffs may not improve American competitiveness and could further disrupt already strained global supply chains.
