Continuation of Actions: China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation
Key claim: USTR announced that the two Section 301 tariff actions on China’s technology-transfer, intellectual-property, and innovation practices will remain in effect after domestic industries requested continuation in the statutory four-year review.
Abstract
(Notice · Trade Representative, Office of United States) In a notice published on May 6, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the first step in the second, statutory four-year review process of the two actions taken as a result of the investigation of China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. The notice informed representatives of domestic industries that benefit from the actions, as modified, of the possible termination of the actions and of the opportunity for the representatives to request continuation of the actions. USTR received requests for continuation of both actions from representatives of domestic industries that benefit from the actions. Accordingly, the actions have not terminated and will remain in effect, subject to possible further modifications, including any modifications resulting from the statutory four-year review.
Why this matters
The China technology-transfer Section 301 action is the original and largest-scale Section 301 tariff regime, covering hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese imports. The statutory four-year review was the first formal checkpoint at which the tariffs could have lapsed; continuation locks the regime in place as the baseline against which newer Section 301 actions (Brazil, forced-labor economies, Vietnam, Germany) are layered.