Trade war threatens China’s hydrogen export ambitions

Tariffs and other protectionist measures raise questions about China’s plans to export green fuels and electrolysers, despite its huge cost advantages

The outbreak of a full-scale trade war between the US and China may force Chinese hydrogen players to rethink any potential pivot away from their subdued domestic market to large-scale exports of e-fuels and electrolysers—particularly as target markets such as Europe will be on guard against a new flood of Chinese products. The trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies escalated dramatically on 11 April as China said it would hike levies on US imports from 84% to 125% and reiterated a previous vow to fight “to the end”. “Even if the US continues to impose higher tariffs, it will no longer make economic sense and will become a joke in the history of the world economy” Chi