U.S. tariff threat on Canadian lumber could chop export market, U.S. construction: expert

The U.S. threat to impose higher antidumping duties on softwood lumber from Canada could increase the tax burden on the Canadian lumber sector while making it harder for the U.S. construction industry to access high-quality, low-cost wood, said a Canadian forest resources expert.

For years, the U.S. has been one of the primary export destinations for Canadian lumber, with imported softwood from Canada, much of it used for residential and commercial structures, making up a significant share of the U.S. softwood market.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the preliminary results of its sixth administrative review of the antidumping duty order on imports of certain Canadian softwood lumber products. While the preliminary margin rates have not yet taken effect, they could increase to 20.07 percent, up from the 7.66 percent determined in the previous administrative review.

Gary Bull, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Forest Resources Management at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, explained that higher tariffs could severely impact Canada's lumber sector.

"When it looks like we will get tariffs April 2nd - could take our total burden for our lumber industry from anywhere from fourteen percent up to sixty percent in British Columbia because since we represent half of the industry in Canada in B.C. alone. And then of course the rest of Canada also will suffer equally," said the professor.

However, high lumber tariffs could backfire for the U.S. According to reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the U.S. currently meets only about 70 percent of its homebuilding lumber needs domestically, relying on Canadian lumber for the remaining 30 percent.

"Some of the smaller to medium sized companies they have an interest in - it's to their benefit to have - a stoppage of lumber coming from Canada because then they can of course make more money. So if you look at the National Association of Home Builders, on the other hand, want our number because they want better quality wood and they want a lower price," Bull said.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has held six rounds of administrative reviews of the anti-dumping duty order on Canadian softwood imports, whose results should inform final tariff decisions, but Bull said they had found no evidence to support the idea that Canada is dumping products into the U.S. market.

"The tariffs are in two categories of the anti-dumping and the countervailing duty. And from my point of view, the anti-dumping duty in particular makes absolutely no sense because I see no evidence in the data that suggests that we are dumping product into the U.S. market," Bull added.

U.S. tariff threat on Canadian lumber could chop export market, U.S. construction: expert

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media