[ferro-alloys.com]The Trump administration will propose raising to 25 per cent its planned 10 per cent tariffs on US$200 billion (S$272.43 billion) in Chinese imports, a move that would ratchet up pressure on Beijing to return to the negotiating table, three people familiar with the internal deliberations said.

The US imposed 25 percent tariffs on US$34 billion of Chinese products in early July, and the review period on another US$16 billion of imports ends Wednesday.

President Donald Trump has threatened an additional US$200 billion with levies of 10 per cent, a level the administration may raise to 25 per cent in a Federal Register notice in coming days, one of the people said. The change isn't final yet and may not go forward after a public review, the people said.

The public comment period on the US tariffs aimed at US$200 billion ends on Aug 30 after public hearings from Aug 20-23, according to the US Trade Representative's office.

Announcing a higher tariff is required ahead of the hearings and will send a signal that the Trump administration is upping the pressure on China to make serious concessions.

Mr Trump directed USTR chief Robert Lighthizer to raise the tariff rate to 25 per cent, the people said.

• [Editor:王可]