Following the United States' decision to impose tariffs of up to 100% on drones and related components, Chinese state media protested, calling it a protectionist measure effectively targeting China.

Citing experts, the Chinese state-run Global Times claimed today (August 14) that this US move is an attempt to turn industrial competition into protectionism under the guise of national security and to disrupt global supply chains through differential tariffs.

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation local time yesterday imposing a 100% tariff on drones with a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 25 kilograms and those equipped with thermal imaging capabilities.

A 25% tariff will be applied to small drones.

However, the tariff rate will be capped at a maximum of 15% for products from the European Union, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Taiwan if certain requirements are met, while a 10% rate will apply to British products.

He Weiwen, former head of the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times, "Imposing high tariffs on core products while applying significantly lower rates to some allies shows that the US is not just trying to curb imports, but also attempting to reshape supply chains."

He criticized that "such differential tariff application is driven by US strategic interests rather than multilateral trade rules," adding that "US trade policy is becoming increasingly protectionist."

The newspaper reported that Chinese companies hold a high market share in the global drone market and could be heavily impacted by this measure.

According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), Chinese companies hold a large market share in the US consumer and enterprise drone markets, and Chinese drone maker DJI is known to supply more than half of US commercial drones.

Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said, "Large and special-purpose drones are widely used in agriculture, surveying, and emergency response," adding, "It appears that the US aims to secure markets for its domestic companies in these fields and maintain its core capabilities."