Hundreds Seeking to Testify Against Chinese Tariffs

Hundreds of companies -- the vast majority in opposition to new duties on goods from China -- asked to testify during four days of hearings beginning Aug. 20 on the proposed third tranche of Section 301 tariffs on an estimated $200 billion worth of Chinese imports. Requests were due Aug. 13 in docket USTR-2018-0026 under the deadline U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer extended from July 27 when he announced Aug. 1 he will “consider,” at President Donald Trump’s direction, raising the third tranche of proposed duties to 25 percent from 10 percent. Lighthizer in an Aug. 7 notice said he reserves the option to “extend the length of the hearing depending on the number of additional interested persons who request to appear.”