Chile has imposed provisional anti-dumping tariffs on specific Chinese steel products to support its struggling steel mills, as reported by Bloomberg and other sources. The Chilean government published a decree on Saturday, imposing tariffs of 33.5% on steel balls and 24.9% on the bars used to produce them, which are extensively utilized in Chile's mining industry.

This decision follows an influx of low-priced Chinese steel imports, exacerbated by the economic slowdown in China, and is expected to help preserve around 20,000 jobs in the Chilean steel industry. The move may cause displeasure in China, which is Chile's top buyer of copper, and represents a significant test of Chile's free-trade strategy. The decision to implement these tariffs is part of broader efforts to balance the preservation of domestic industries with maintaining international trade relationships.