CTA Says Members Imported $25 Billion in Goods Last Year That Are on Tariff List

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office accepted CTA’s request for Sage Chandler, vice president-international trade, to testify at the May 15 public hearing in opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed 25 percent tariffs on goods imported from China (see 1804040023), CTA spokeswoman Izzy Santa emailed us Thursday. Of the 1,300 "product lines" in the USTR's list of proposed tariffs, CTA members have so far identified 190 Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes representing goods they import from China, and those goods were worth $25 billion last year, said Chandler in comments posted Wednesday in docket USTR-2018-0005. CTA members worry about “the impact of tariffs on their supply chains and their ability to deliver the quality products desired by U.S. consumers,” she said. “Some of our members, particularly innovative start-ups, have expressed concern that the proposed tariffs put them at a disadvantage relative to their competitors in other nations who can continue importing critical components from China at a fraction of the cost.” CTA opposes using tariffs “to address inequity in the trade relationship with China because of potential long-term negative consequences to our own economy,” said Chandler. “A better approach is to promote policy and diplomatic efforts which directly address the limitations U.S. companies face when doing business in China,” including “engagement” of the World Trade Organization’s “dispute settlement process,” she said.