In a daylong hearing about how to deal with the distortion Chinese industrial policy creates in world markets, American witnesses recommended dramatic changes to government policies aimed at divorcing China from the U.S. economy, and not just in sensitive technologies, but also in consumer goods, such as cell phones and tablets or electric vehicle components. All were speaking on trade issues to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission April 14. The commission's mandate is to report to Congress on the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and China, and its members are appointed by Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

Direct negotiations with China are, “at this point, unlikely to yield meaningful results” in curbing Beijing’s unfair trade practices, Emily Kilcrease, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in written testimony at a hearing April 14. “China has little incentive to commit to binding rules that will require structural changes to a system they believe works for their economic and political objectives,” she said.

Lithionics Battery and its founder and owner Steven Tartaglia violated the law by falsely claiming their battery and battery module products were made in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission said in an April 12 complaint in a Florida district court. By doing so, the company and its founder violated the Made in the USA Labeling Rule, the complaint said (United States v. Lithionics Battery LLC, M.D. Fla. #8:22-00868). The case marks the first enforcement action under the agency's new labeling rules (see 2107010077), the agency said.

A wide variety of trade groups told the Commerce Department that while they know the administration doesn't intend to tackle tariffs as part of its negotiations with Asian countries, they think offering to lower tariffs on U.S. goods would be the best way to get ambitious commitments in the region, and many said reconsidering the re-named Trans-Pacific Partnership is better than the conceived Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

Massive delays and a drop in traffic at the U.S.-Mexico border caused by secondary Texas state inspections have drawn fire from CBP, the trade community and even the White House.

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As a proposed expansion of import data required under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program heads to conference as part of the House-passed America Competes Act, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America’s Matt Lahar testified to Congress April 7 that the provisions would be a difficult lift for both importers and the federal government.

CBP plans to send letters to "identified as having previously imported merchandise that may be subject" to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, CBP said in an April 12 email. The UFLPA imposes a rebuttable presumption that goods from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region involve the use of forced labor as of June 21. Ahead June 21, CBP will use the "known importer letters" to "encourage those importers to address any forced labor issues in their supply chains in a timely manner," it said.

President Joe Biden signed into law on April 8 legislation to end permanent normal trade relations status for Russian and Belarusian goods and codify an existing ban on oil from Russia, the White House said. Congress approved the bills April 7 (see 2204070036).

Academics and human rights organization employees are concerned about trade groups' requests at a public hearing on the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.