A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers recently sent a letter to the Biden administration, urging them to impose higher tariffs on Chinese drones, as well as drones shipped from other countries. The lawmakers, including Representative Mike Gallagher and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, expressed concerns about the national and economic security threats posed by Chinese drone manufacturers such as DJI and Autel.
The lawmakers called for immediate action, stating that the current 25% tariff on Chinese drones is insufficient to combat the increasing imports of these products. They highlighted the fact that Chinese drone companies hold a significant market share in both the hobby drone and commercial drone sectors in the United States.
One of the key points raised in the letter was the significant increase in drone exports from Malaysia to the United States. The lawmakers expressed concerns that China may be utilizing Malaysia as a way to circumvent U.S. laws through transshipment, raising additional red flags about the origin of these drones.
The lawmakers also emphasized the potential national security risks associated with Chinese drones, stating that they could potentially expose U.S. persons' data to the Chinese military and intelligence services. This further underscores the urgency for imposing higher tariffs on these products to mitigate these risks.
In November, the committee and other lawmakers called for an investigation into Autel Robotics and proposed legislation to prohibit the U.S. government from purchasing Chinese drones. This follows the 2019 congressional ban on the Pentagon from acquiring drones and components manufactured in China.
The bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to take decisive action to address the threats posed by Chinese drones. By imposing higher tariffs and implementing new incentives to promote U.S. drone manufacturers, they hope to safeguard national security interests and protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.