WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to impose punitive tariffs on all car and light truck tires from China for three years, the White House announced on Friday.

    "The president decided to remedy the clear disruption to the U.S. tire industry based on the facts and the law in this case," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

    The U.S. Steelworkers union, which represents workers at major U.S. tire manufacturers, filed a petition against China earlier this year for import relief and won a favorable ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).

    The panel recommended Obama impose a 55 percent tariff on the Chinese tire imports which would be reduced to 45 percent in the second year and 35 percent in the third before being removed.

    Obama, who must make a decision on the tire case before Sept. 17, at last decided to set the punitive tariffs at 35 percent for the first year, 30 percent in the second and 25 percent in the third, according to the White House.