National Business Wire (Dec 21) -- The U.S. government is discussing raising tariffs on some Chinese goods, including electric vehicles (EVs), according to the Wall Street Journal.

Currently, China-made vehicles face a 25% import tariff tariff in the U.S., a rate set by former U.S. President Donald Trump during his administration and extended to this day.

In addition to electric cars, the U.S. government is in talks over Trump-era tariffs on about $300 billion of Chinese goods, with an eye toward completing a long-term review of the tariffs early next year.

Other possible targets for higher tariffs include Chinese solar products, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Additionally, the Biden administration is considering lowering tariffs on some Chinese consumer goods that U.S. lawmakers don't consider strategically important.

Just last month, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers asked the White House to raise tariffs on Chinese cars and block Chinese companies from exporting products to the U.S. through neighboring Mexico.

Indeed, foreign automakers, including Tesla Inc., are using China as a major export center, and U.S. automakers also export Chinese cars to the U.S.

Nonetheless, American lawmakers continue to argue that these facts show that current U.S. import tariffs aren't high enough.

In response to concerns about the news, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wenbin Wang said at a regular press conference on Thursday that China "firmly opposes it."

The U.S. measures, the spokesman said, are in the name of security, pursuing "America First", violating the principles of market economy and fair competition, threatening the security of the global industry chain and supply chain, and are "naked protectionism".

He concluded that China "will closely track the follow-up situation and take measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests when necessary."