Democratic Lawmakers Back Administration's WTO Case Against China

Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate added their support for the U.S. Trade Representative's request for the World Trade Organization to step in against China's automobile trade practices. President Barack Obama "has vigorously challenged China’s persistent failure to play by the rules, including doubling the rate of cases brought against China as compared to the last Administration," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin (D-Mich.) "More needs to be done to rebalance this imbalanced relationship and the President has, through actions such as this, the Rare Earths case filed earlier this year, and the creation of government-wide International Trade Enforcement Center, taken strong steps toward that objective." The press release is (here).

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) also approved of the action. "The U.S. cannot stand by and let China skirt international trade rules, especially when American jobs are at stake," he said. "China made a commitment to end these subsidies when it joined the WTO more than a decade ago, so it’s indefensible for it to use this unfair practice. By lodging this WTO complaint, we’re standing up for workers and manufacturing jobs here in the U.S. In today’s competitive global economy, it’s critical that we remain aggressive both fighting for American workers and opening new markets to trade. That is exactly what this complaint against China does." That press release is (here).

(See ITT's Online Archives 12091714 for summary of the USTR's request for involvement from the WTO on China's trade practices.)