STORY: U.S. tariff hikes on China's clean energy products election ploy: S. African expert
SHOOTING TIME: May 18, 2024
DATELINE: May 22, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:14
LOCATION: PRETORIA, South Africa 
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute
2. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute
3. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute

STORYLINE:

The latest tariff hikes by the U.S. administration targeting Chinese clean energy products is "a political ploy setting the stage for the upcoming elections," said Paul Zilungisele Tembe, a senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute
"We should look at the current sanctions by President Biden as a political move. It is a political ploy setting the stage for the upcoming elections really."

The expert also warned of the backfire of the U.S. tariff hikes.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute
"It (China) would no longer give the so-called first world or the so-called Western world market. It won't focus on it. It will focus on the developing world market. It's still an advantage to China. But look, this is not well thought out as far as the USA is concerned because every time the USA pulls a sanction move, they end up losing in that particular field. That's why I just say this is President Biden's election ploy."

The expert welcomed the Chinese clean energy products, especially electric vehicles.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): PAUL ZILUNGISELE TEMBE, Senior fellow at South Africa's Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute
"People have more confidence on Chinese products, because they are leading in the world. We're going to see a lot of electric vehicles in Africa soon. That would be a super good idea, because if it's manufactured here, it's even going to be cheaper for us and that will help us nationally as well not only in China-Africa relations, it will also assist us in terms of us complying with the climate change issues, which because South Africa is a signatory of many other agreements internationally, beyond China."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Pretoria, South Africa.
(XHTV)