In response to an action launched by a US Steelworkers union, President Barack Obama has approved punitive tariffs on all car and light truck tires from China for three years.

The tariffs will be set at 35 percent for the first year, 30 percent in the second and 25 percent in the third. The United Steelworkers Union represents employees of major US tire manufacturers.

It filed a petition earlier this year, blaming imports from China for the loss of thousands of American jobs. The move won a favorable ruling from the US International Trade Commission.

However, the panel had recommended much higher tariffs on Chinese tire imports. It proposed a 55 percent tariff, to be reduced by ten percent each year over a three year period.

(CCTV September 14, 2009)