WASHINGTON — The coronavirus outbreak is prompting a heated debate among lawmakers and the White House over whether the Trump administration should remove the tariffs it has imposed on China and other nations to provide some economic relief.

Supporters of lifting the tariffs, even temporarily, say it would be a simple and immediate way to help businesses and consumers struggling with higher costs from President Trump’s levies. U.S. tariffs on foreign steel, aluminum and more than $360 billion of Chinese goods have chipped away at profits for companies that depend on imported goods and parts, slowed business investment and weighed on households, particularly those on the lower end of the income scale.

But opponents warn the move could provide China with an economic advantage at a particularly sensitive moment. Factories are slowly restarting in China, as the country shakes off the virus that began on its shores, but the outbreak in the United States and Europe continues to worsen, with schools, restaurants, offices and other Western businesses now closing.

China hawks warn that the Chinese government and businesses will take advantage of any pause in tariffs to capture a larger share of global industries, putting Beijing on a dominant course for years to come.