The Chinese Embassy in Washington released a 1,300-word statement Thursday accusing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of “slander” for alleging that China uses unfair trade practices to gain advantages over its U.S. trade competitors. In announcing a new round of proposed 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs Tuesday on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods (see 1807110034), Lighthizer called China’s trade practices “an existential threat to America’s most critical comparative advantage and the future of our economy.” The retaliatory actions China took in response to the tariffs that took effect July 6 were "without any international legal basis or justification," said Lighthizer. The Chinese shot back, calling Lighthizer’s statement “a distortion of facts” and his accusations “groundless.” Any “underlying problems in the American economy and society are purely caused by domestic, structural reasons in the US,” said the embassy. China since February “engaged in four rounds of high-level economic talks with the US,” and reached “important consensus” on “strengthening trade and economic cooperation and avoiding a trade war,” it said. “But due to domestic politics, the US has gone back on its words, brazenly abandoned the bilateral consensus, and insisted on fighting a trade war with China. China has done its utmost to prevent the escalation of trade frictions. The United States is fully responsible for the current situation.” The tariffs the Trump administration implemented or proposed are “typical unilateralism, protectionism and trade bullying,” and are a “clear violation” of the basic World Trade Organization “principle of most-favored-nation treatment as well as the basic spirit and principles of international law,” said the embassy. That China was “forced to take” retaliatory “counteractions” against the tariffs was “an inevitable choice to defend national interest and global interest, and is perfectly rightful, reasonable and lawful," it said. Lighthizer's office didn't comment.

Over a two-day review at the World Trade Organization on China's trade policies, China insisted that intellectual property violations are no longer a major issue; that its support of state-owned enterprises is no different from Fannie Mae; and that its overcapacity in steel is not a problem for global steel prices, because China only exports 9 percent of its steel. Moreover, China's Commerce Vice Minister Wang Shouwen said, addressing overcapacity needs collective actions and China stands ready to join hands with other countries to tackle this problem together.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington released a 1,300-word statement Thursday accusing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of “slander” for alleging that China uses unfair trade practices to gain advantages over its U.S. trade competitors. In announcing a new round of proposed 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs Tuesday on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods (see 1807110034), Lighthizer called China’s trade practices “an existential threat to America’s most critical comparative advantage and the future of our economy.” The retaliatory actions China took in response to the tariffs that took effect July 6 were "without any international legal basis or justification," said Lighthizer. The Chinese shot back, calling Lighthizer’s statement “a distortion of facts” and his accusations “groundless.” Any “underlying problems in the American economy and society are purely caused by domestic, structural reasons in the US,” said the embassy. China since February “engaged in four rounds of high-level economic talks with the US,” and reached “important consensus” on “strengthening trade and economic cooperation and avoiding a trade war,” it said. “But due to domestic politics, the US has gone back on its words, brazenly abandoned the bilateral consensus, and insisted on fighting a trade war with China. China has done its utmost to prevent the escalation of trade frictions. The United States is fully responsible for the current situation.” The tariffs the Trump administration implemented or proposed are “typical unilateralism, protectionism and trade bullying,” and are a “clear violation” of the basic World Trade Organization “principle of most-favored-nation treatment as well as the basic spirit and principles of international law,” said the embassy. That China was “forced to take” retaliatory “counteractions” against the tariffs was “an inevitable choice to defend national interest and global interest, and is perfectly rightful, reasonable and lawful," it said. Lighthizer's office didn't comment.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington released a 1,300-word statement Thursday accusing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of “slander” for alleging that China uses unfair trade practices to gain advantages over its U.S. trade competitors. In announcing a new round of proposed 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs Tuesday on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods (see 1807110034), Lighthizer called China’s trade practices “an existential threat to America’s most critical comparative advantage and the future of our economy.” The retaliatory actions China took in response to the tariffs that took effect July 6 were "without any international legal basis or justification," said Lighthizer. The Chinese shot back, calling Lighthizer’s statement “a distortion of facts” and his accusations “groundless.” Any “underlying problems in the American economy and society are purely caused by domestic, structural reasons in the US,” said the embassy. China since February “engaged in four rounds of high-level economic talks with the US,” and reached “important consensus” on “strengthening trade and economic cooperation and avoiding a trade war,” it said. “But due to domestic politics, the US has gone back on its words, brazenly abandoned the bilateral consensus, and insisted on fighting a trade war with China. China has done its utmost to prevent the escalation of trade frictions. The United States is fully responsible for the current situation.” The tariffs the Trump administration implemented or proposed are “typical unilateralism, protectionism and trade bullying,” and are a “clear violation” of the basic World Trade Organization “principle of most-favored-nation treatment as well as the basic spirit and principles of international law,” said the embassy. That China was “forced to take” retaliatory “counteractions” against the tariffs was “an inevitable choice to defend national interest and global interest, and is perfectly rightful, reasonable and lawful," it said. Lighthizer's office didn't comment.

The Section 301 tariffs product exclusion request process announced last week (see 1807060039) was published in the July 11 Federal Register. No changes were made since the first announcement. Requests are due Oct. 9, and, if granted, will apply from July 6, 2018, and last one year. Exclusions will be granted to all importers of the same product, whether or not the company filed a request.

Tech interests fear ripple-effect consumer harms that may result from the Trump administration’s newest proposals to impose 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports over intellectual property disagreements between the countries. The list of goods targeted for the 10 percent duties, released Tuesday in an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative notice, doesn't include meaningful end-user consumer tech products like TVs. Some networking gear was included, drawing concern from Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, CompTIA, CTA, the Information Technology Industry Council and Telecommunications Industry Association.

Tech interests fear ripple-effect consumer harms that may result from the Trump administration’s newest proposals to impose 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports over intellectual property disagreements between the countries. The list of goods targeted for the 10 percent duties, released Tuesday in an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative notice, doesn't include meaningful end-user consumer tech products like TVs. Some networking gear was included, drawing concern from Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, CompTIA, CTA, the Information Technology Industry Council and Telecommunications Industry Association.

Some leaders on the House Foreign Affairs Committee intend to file legislation to remove China's Most Favored Nation status, according to Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. Poe said in a July 11 interview that Asia Subcommittee Chairman Ted Yoho and the ranking member on both subcommittees are all in agreement on the legislation. China has had MFN status with the U.S. since 1980, but that was made permanent only in 2001. In 1990, in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Congress included non-binding language suggesting the president rethink MFN for China.

The International Trade Commission recently posted Revision 7 to the 2018 Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Coming just days after the ITC’s mid-year HTS update, the new edition adds provisions implementing a 25% Section 301 tariff on $34 billion in imports from China that took effect July 6. It also reflects the restoration of African Growth and Opportunity Act benefits for Eswatini, and the country’s renaming from Swaziland.

Tech interests will debate the ripple-effect consumer harms that may result from the Trump administration’s newest proposals to impose 10 percent Trade Act Section 301 tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. But the list of goods targeted for the 10 percent duties, released Tuesday in an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative notice, doesn't include meaningful end-user consumer tech products like TVs. U.S. purveyors of luggage, textiles and fashion accessories weren't so lucky.