I. Section 301 Investigation Relaunched

On March 11, 2026 (Beijing Time), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the initiation of a new round of Section 301 investigations targeting 16 major trading partners, including China, the European Union, Japan, and India.

The core focus of this investigation is so-called “structural overcapacity in manufacturing.”
In practice, this serves as a legal foundation for the potential imposition of targeted high tariffs in the next phase.

II. Countries and Industries Involved

Although the initial USTR notice broadly targets the manufacturing sector, based on prior investigations, the following industries are expected to be key focus areas:

• Traditional manufacturing: Steel, aluminum, chemicals

• Strategic emerging industries: Semiconductors, electric vehicles, and battery supply chains

• Infrastructure-related sectors: Shipbuilding, port machinery, logistics equipment

Below is a structured summary compiled by SS Group based on the Federal Register notice:

1. China

Industries: Electronics, machinery, vehicles and auto parts, plastics, furniture, steel products, apparel, organic chemicals, toys & sporting goods, optical instruments, photographic equipment, technical and medical devices, footwear, vessels, aluminum

2. Taiwan (China)

Industries: Semiconductors, electronics, IT products, machinery

3. European Union

Industries: Vehicles and auto parts, machinery, electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals

4. Ireland

Industries: Pharmaceuticals

5. Singapore

Industries: Semiconductors, electronics, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals

6. Switzerland

Industries: Refined gold, pharmaceuticals, organic chemicals, machinery

7. Norway

Industries: Mineral fuels, petroleum, select electronics, machinery

8. Indonesia

Industries: Metals, agricultural products, fuels, textiles, construction materials

9. Bangladesh

Industries: Textiles, cement

10. Mexico

Industries: Construction, rail and maritime transport, steel, light manufacturing, food and beverage processing, healthcare

11. Japan

Industries: Vehicles and auto parts, optical, photographic, technical, and medical equipment

12. India

Industries: Textiles, medical products, construction materials, automotive products, solar modules

13. Malaysia

Industries: Electronics, steel, mineral fuels and oils, machinery, animal/vegetable oils, optical and medical equipment

14. Cambodia

Industries: Apparel, footwear, travel goods

15. Thailand

Industries: Vehicles and parts, machinery, rubber

16. South Korea

Industries: Electronics, vehicles and parts, machinery, steel, shipbuilding, offshore equipment

17. Vietnam

Industries: Electronics, machinery, footwear, apparel, furniture, steel

III. Key Timeline

• 📅 March 17, 2026 — Public comment docket opens

• 📅 April 15, 2026 — Deadline to submit written comments, hearing requests, and testimony summaries

• 📅 May 5, 2026 — USTR public hearing begins (may extend through May 8 if necessary)

IV. What This Means

1. Significant Tariff Increases Are Likely

In an official statement, USTR leadership emphasized:

“The United States will no longer sacrifice its industrial base for countries exporting overcapacity.”

The stated goal is to rebuild domestic supply chains and create high-paying manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
In reality, this strongly signals the likelihood of substantial new tariffs.

2. Country of Origin (COO) Enforcement Will Tighten

To avoid Section 301 tariffs, some goods may be routed through Southeast Asia or Mexico.
However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has clearly indicated it will intensify enforcement against origin circumvention (“transshipment” or “origin washing”).

SS Group Advisory

Before any tariffs are officially imposed, we strongly recommend:

• 📦 Advance shipments where possible

• 🔄 Adjust supply chain and shipping strategies proactively