WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative

Katherine Tai on Thursday gave a strong endorsement to Canada's

decision to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric

vehicles and 25% on Chinese steel and aluminum as she finalizes

U.S. duties planned at similar rates.

In a statement issued by her office, Tai applauded Canada's

decision to take strong action against China's "state-directed,

unfair, and anti-competitive non-market policies and practices,

which threaten the existence of our market-oriented industries."

She said this was an important step to ensure that Canada's

workers and companies could compete fairly in the electric

vehicle, steel and aluminum industries.

"We share Canada's concerns over the PRC's unfair,

non-market policies and practices and its failure to uphold

labor rights, enforce environmental protections, and promote

fair, market-oriented competition," Tai said, using the acronym

for the People's Republic of China.

Canada announced on Tuesday that it will impose the tariffs

starting on Oct. 1, including on EVs made in China by U.S.-based

Tesla, to counter what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

called China's intentional, state-directed policies that have

created excess production capacity in these industries.

The move comes as the U.S. trade representative is expected

to announce final implementation plans by the end of August for

tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including

duties of 100% on EVs, 50% on semiconductors and solar cells,

and 25% on lithium-ion batteries.

Many U.S. companies have asked for the duties to be eased,

and exclusions expanded, but a U.S. official told Reuters in

Beijing that the expectation was for the Biden-Harris

administration to follow through with well-communicated

intentions on the tariffs.