U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer should “do everything possible” to address China’s allegedly unfair trade practices without “imposing tariffs” or enacting measures that “might harm large numbers" of U.S. workers, consumers and businesses, said a Wednesday letter signed by 34 House Democrats and Republicans and released Thursday. The letter to Lighthizer comes before the USTR's office releases its final list of duties by June 15 and a day after the White House announced its decision to proceed with the tariffs on Chinese imports (see 1805290046).
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with the trade ministers of Japan and the EU in Paris May 31 and “confirmed their shared view that no country should require or pressure technology transfer from foreign companies to domestic companies” through the use of joint-venture requirements, licensing processes or “other means,” they said. The ministers discussed “the harmful effects of regulatory measures that force foreign companies seeking to license technologies to domestic entities to do so on non-market-based terms that favor domestic entities,” the officials said. The ministers explored the need “to establish and share best practices” to thwart government practices that “unfairly facilitate the systematic investment in, and acquisition of, foreign companies and assets to obtain technologies and intellectual property and generate the transfer of technology to domestic companies,” they said.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with the trade ministers of Japan and the EU in Paris May 31 and “confirmed their shared view that no country should require or pressure technology transfer from foreign companies to domestic companies” through the use of joint-venture requirements, licensing processes or “other means,” they said. The ministers discussed “the harmful effects of regulatory measures that force foreign companies seeking to license technologies to domestic entities to do so on non-market-based terms that favor domestic entities,” the officials said. They explored the need “to establish and share best practices” to thwart government practices that “unfairly facilitate the systematic investment in, and acquisition of, foreign companies and assets to obtain technologies and intellectual property and generate the transfer of technology to domestic companies,” they said.
The planned Section 301 tariffs on $50 billion in goods from China are "decades overdue," said Coalition for a Prosperous America Chairman Dan DiMicco in a news release on the White House announcement that the tariffs will go forward (see 1805290024). "We appreciate that President Trump is now making clear that the age of appeasement for China’s trade cheating is at an end," DiMicco said.
Some 50 trade groups in various industries want the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to “immediately make public” the details of the process it will use to add more Chinese-sourced products to the proposed 25 percent tariffs list, they said in comments dated May 22. “We strongly believe there needs to be additional public input for any products that USTR is considering adding to the proposed list,” the comments said. The groups want the agency to publish a “full listing” in the Federal Register of any Harmonized Tariff Schedule product codes “being considered for addition to the proposed tariff list,” and give “the rationale and criteria” for adding those products, they said. USTR also should “provide an opportunity for stakeholders to comment on any such products being considered,” they said. The Trump administration recently said it would move forward with $50 billion in Section 301 tariffs, which also cover pharmaceuticals and medical devices (see 1805290039). The U.S. has also said it would consider imposing an additional $100 billion in tariffs on an as yet undisclosed list of Chinese products (see 1804250035).
The U.S. chemicals industry would be hit hard as a result of Section 301 tariffs on goods from China, the American Chemistry Council said in a news release in response to the White House's planned implementation of the tariffs (see 1805290039). "While five percent of the 1,333 products the [Office of the U.S. Trade Representative] has identified for a 25 percent tariff relate to chemicals, the effects of the full list of tariffs are likely to be felt well beyond the business of chemistry," ACC Director of International Trade Ed Brzytwa said. "If applied, these duties will invite damaging retaliation and advantage China’s growing industry at the expense of American production and workers. We anticipate significant disruptions to supply chain operations, offshoring of production, and termination of production altogether due [to] the sudden, uneven playing field that tariffs would create in the global marketplace."
Much of the tech industry -- though CTA was silent -- blasted the Trump administration Tuesday for announcing it plans to go ahead with 25 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. The products affected won’t be known until the U.S. Trade Representative's office releases its final tariffs list by June 15. Tariffs will be imposed “shortly thereafter,” said the White House.
Much of the tech industry -- though CTA was silent -- blasted the Trump administration Tuesday for announcing it plans to go ahead with 25 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. The products affected won’t be known until the U.S. Trade Representative's office releases its final tariffs list by June 15. Tariffs will be imposed “shortly thereafter,” said the White House.
The Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates asked that "the pharmaceuticals and chemicals used to make pharmaceuticals" be removed from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's list of goods from China that will be subjected to new Section 301 tariffs. That request came in rebuttal comments to the USTR filed after three days of International Trade Commission hearings on the proposed list of goods subject to Section 301 tariffs (see 1805170042). Specifically, all the Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings from 2914.62.00 to 3006.30.10 should be removed, SOCMA said.
Much of the tech industry -- though CTA was silent -- blasted the Trump administration Tuesday for announcing it plans to go ahead with 25 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. The products affected won’t be known until the U.S. Trade Representative's office releases its final tariffs list by June 15. Tariffs will be imposed “shortly thereafter,” said the White House.