Biden Levies China Tariffs He Ridiculed Trump Over

President Joe Biden announced a slew of new tariffs on Chinese exports on Tuesday, marking a complete reversal of his previous statements regarding similar tariffs, which were instituted under former President Donald Trump.

[RELATED: Maine Rep Pushes for Increased Tariffs on Chinese Auto, Renewable Energy Imports…]

“I just imposed a series of tariffs on goods made in China,” said President Biden on X, “China is determined to dominate these industries. I’m determined to ensure America leads the world in them.”

Under the new policy, China will need to pay significant tariffs on many products exported to the U.S., 100 percent for electric vehicles (EV), 50 percent on semiconductors and solar panels, and 25 percent on steel and aluminum.

Biden has promoted these tariffs as a way to stop Chinese manufacturers from significantly undercutting the American sector with products made using inhumane working conditions and subpar materials.

Chinese solar panel exporters, including those who supplied the panels used in Augusta at the direction of Gov. Janet Mills, are notorious for benefiting from forced labor.

“President Biden is taking action to protect American workers and American companies from China’s unfair trade practices. To encourage China to eliminate its unfair trade practices regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, the President is directing increases in tariffs across strategic sectors,” said the White House press release.

Although Biden now appears to be taking a hard line in favor of American workers and against China’s attempts to devastate the U.S. economy, he has previously spoken harshly against tariffs, and claimed that even low-wage cashiers are more knowledgeable about the economy than people who support tariffs on China.

“Trump doesn’t know the basics, he thinks his tariffs are being paid by China. Any freshman econ student could tell you that Americans are paying his tariffs. The cashiers at Target know more about economics than Trump,” said Biden in a 2019 tweet.

While in office, Trump was a strong proponent of tariffs against the U.S.’s political enemies, as a way to defend American workers against foreign companies taking their jobs, and as a means to strengthen the domestic economy and the nation’s self-sufficiency.

Trump continues to support tariffs, and has made that support a factor in his current presidential campaign.

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, Biden consistently attacked Trump for tariffs, and claimed that they would do far more harm than good to American workers.

“Trump doesn’t care about the farmers, workers, and consumers that are being crushed by his irresponsible tariff war with China. It’s easy to act tough when someone else is feeling the pain. I will reverse his senseless policies,” said Biden on X.

Democrats have become increasingly favorable towards tariffs recently.

Last week, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) introduced two bills which would increase tariffs on electric cars, and renewable energy products being shipped to the U.S. from China.

Although Biden’s tariffs address those same issues, Golden’s bill would impose a higher, 125 percent tariff on Chinese EVs, and would apply to more renewable energy products than solar panels.

Golden’s bills would also seek to prevent Chinese companies from circumventing tariffs by manufacturing their products in Mexico and shipping them from there.