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☆ Biden administration set to revamp Trump’s tariff program after multi-year review, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Kayla Tausche | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —The Biden administration is set to unveil a sweeping restructuring of former President Donald Trump’s trademark tariffs on Chinese imports, according to sources familiar with the matter. “The Biden administration has neutralized China as a campaign issue,” said Hodge, now a managing director at Bully Pulpit International. Tariffs are essentially a tax on US businesses and consumers, adding to the cost of imported goods. More than half of the duties have been collected during the Biden administration. The Biden administration had planned to release the results of the review in advance of the Pittsburgh speech, the sources familiar with the matter said, but ended up delaying the release.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden refines, Trump, Adam Hodge, “, ”, Hodge, –, ” Biden, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Clete Willems, Akin Gump, Willems Organizations: Washington CNN, US Trade Representative, Biden’s National Security Council, US Trade, Treasury, Commerce, Trump, US Customs, “ Steel, Seven, European Union, National Economic Council, EU, European Commission, Treasury Department Locations: China, Pittsburgh, Italy, Puglia

☆ Biden promise to rival China on shipbuilding faces a big economic problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

The Biden administration is correct that China has not played fair. But he said the nations that could rival China in shipbuilding are Asian competitors. Shipbuilding subsequently dropped to around five ships per year, which is approximately the current rate of U.S. shipbuilding. President Joe Biden speaks to members of the United Steel Workers Union at the United Steel Workers Headquarters on April 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Biden announced new actions to protect American steel and shipbuilding industries including hiking tariffs on Chinese steel.

Persons: Biden, Ben Nolan, Nolan, Reagan, Joe Biden, Jeff Swensen, —, Darron, Wadey, Lloyd, Matson, George Washington, Ronald O'Rourke, O'Rourke Organizations: Mitsui Shipbuilding Co, Taicang Port Economic, Technological, Future Publishing, Getty, CNBC, Shipbuilding, Global, United States, Trade, U.S . Trade, U.S, China's Ministry of Commerce, United Steel Workers, Japan's Nippon Steel, United Steel Workers Union, United Steel Workers Headquarters, Analysts, Matson Shipping, Jones Act, Philly Shipyard, CMA CGM, Matson, United, Maritime Administration, U.S ., Huntington Ingalls Industries, News Shipbuilding, U.S . Navy, U.S Navy, Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginian Pilot, Tribune, Service, Force, warfighting, Navy, Biden, Congressional Research Service Locations: Taicang Port, Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China, U.S, Japan, South Korea, United States, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, American, Bangladesh, U.S . Virgin Islands, Great, Mississippi, Ohio

☆ Hike tariffs on Chinese EVs, Senate Democrats urge Biden administration
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Three Senate Democrats from auto manufacturing states on Thursday urged the Biden administration to hike import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to address national security risks, the latest push by lawmakers to protect the U.S. auto sector. Three Senate Democrats from auto manufacturing states on Thursday urged the Biden administration to hike import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to address national security risks, the latest push by lawmakers to protect the U.S. auto sector. "Artificially low-priced Chinese EVs flooding the U.S. would cost thousands of American jobs and endanger the survival of the U.S. automotive industry as a whole." Auto industry officials told Reuters last month Biden is considering hiking tariffs on Chinese EVs and the letter is the latest in growing pressure on the White House to take further steps to prevent Chinese vehicle imports. The senators also asked Commerce to focus on the threat from potential imports of "highly connected Chinese vehicles and high-risk China-controlled connected and autonomous technologies."

Persons: Biden, Gary Peters, Debbie Stabenow of, Sherrod Brown, Gina Raimondo, Katherine Tai, USTR Organizations: Reuters, Auto, . Trade, Commerce Locations: U.S, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, China

☆ U.S. slams 'meritless' Israel genocide suit, reigniting tensions with South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest legal body, will this week hear a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinian people during the assault on the Gaza Strip. Ambassador Reuben Brigety accused South Africa of running guns for Russia via a mystery merchant ship, a South African inquiry found no evidence of the alleged arms shipment, but ties between the two historical allies remained taut. "Over the past two years a succession of frustrations, including South Africa feeling it is being pushed on Russia-Ukraine, the U.S. Ambassador's statements on South African domestic security and on its relationship with Russia, and U.S. policy on China in Africa, have all contributed to the worsening of this relationship," Vandome said. 'Solidarity against apartheid oppression' South Africa's close relationship with Russia is based on a multitude of factors past and present.

Persons: John Kirby, Kevin Lamarque, Israel, Reuben Brigety, Cyril Ramaphosa, Chris Vandome, Vandome, Sergey Lavrov, Naledi Pandor Organizations: White, Reuters, U.S, Court of Justice, Palestinian, . National Security, Chatham, CNBC, South, Russian, African Foreign, Pretoria Ihsaan Haffejee, Anadolu Agency, Getty, United States Trade, Solidarity, Congress, ANC, Party Locations: Washington , U.S, South Africa, Gaza, Israel, Washington, Pretoria, Russia, China, African, Ukraine, Africa, U.S, Palestine, PRETORIA, Pretoria Ihsaan

☆ Analysis-Indo-Pacific Trade Deal Prospects Dim as 2024 US Election Year Politics Loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By David LawderSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Biden administration has vowed to continue negotiating an ambitious Asia trade deal, but election-year pressures and resistance to tough commitments from some countries make a deal unlikely, trade experts and business groups say. Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi told Reuters that IPEF partners will "recalibrate" the trade talks in 2024. But it gets harder from here, said Wendy Cutler, the former chief USTR negotiator on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal with many of the same countries. "Until they do that, the trade pillar will be a tough nut to crack." The Biden administration launched negotiations in September 2022, leaving an impossibly tight deadline ahead of the APEC summit, according to some trade experts.

Persons: David Lawder, Biden, Sarah Bianchi, Wendy Cutler, TPP, Donald Trump's, Cutler, They're, Sherrod Brown, Jake Colvin, Colvin, Lori Wallach, Xi Jinping, Don Durfee, Josie Kao Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, Economic, Economic Cooperation, U.S . Trade, Pacific Partnership, Asia Society Policy Center, APEC, Democratic, National Foreign Trade Council, Trans, Pacific Locations: Asia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Donald Trump's U.S, San Francisco, China

☆ US, Indo-Pacific partners need to 'recalibrate' trade talks -USTR's Bianchi
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We’ve got to recalibrate in the new year with our partners," Bianchi said in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. USTR said later in a statement that it was seeing progress in the trade negotiations on trade facilitation, agriculture, technical assistance and economic cooperation. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat facing a tough re-election fight in the industrial state of Ohio, last week demanded that Biden drop the trade pillar from the Indo-Pacific initiative. Brown on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the stalling IPEF trade pillar by insisting on enforceable labor provisions. Bianchi said some of the other 12 IPEF countries in the trade talks "prefer a different approach" on labor and environment chapters, but they support continued negotiations on trade.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Sarah Bianchi, We’ve, Bianchi, USTR, Joe Biden, Sherrod Brown, Biden, Brown, David Lawder, David Gregorio, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Economic, U.S . Trade, Reuters, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Pacific Partnership, Democrat, U.S ., Partners, Thomson Locations: Asia, Pacific, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco, Ohio, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico

☆ Emails reveal how Amazon and Google tap friends in government to influence policies. Critics say there's too much 'coziness' with Big Tech.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

When you work as a Big Tech lobbyist, there's a good chance you're already friends with someone in government. In 2022, 82.4% of Amazon lobbyists and 81.3% of Alphabet lobbyists previously held government jobs, according to data from OpenSecrets. "Big Tech uses its special revolving door access to furtively push for rigged trade policies," Warren wrote. The emails are limited to correspondence with Amazon and Google lobbyists and do not include communications with representatives of other tech companies. Big Tech critics say this access to policymakers is not granted to the public or civil-society groups, and that's why Warren and others have called for more transparency.

Persons: there's, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Katherine Tai —, Warren, Tai, Andrea Boron, Mary Thornton, Karan Bhatia, Google's, Byun, Jillian DeLuna, Thornton, Bhatia, Kate Kalutkiewicz, USTR, Maria Langholz, Trump, Biden, Amazon's Thornton, Ethan Holmes, Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, That's, José Castañeda Organizations: Big Tech, United States Trade Representative, Google, Amazon, Amazon Web Services, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Canada's, Demand, Prosperity, Reuters Locations: Big, Asia, China, Bali, Tokyo

☆ Race to finish Indo-Pacific trade deals hit snags ahead of APEC summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A sign advertising the upcoming APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in see as the city prepares to host leaders from the Asia-Pacific region in San Francisco, California November 8, 2023. Instead it promised cooperation on supply chains and clean energy along with higher standards for labor, environment and regulatory practices and digital trade. Negotiations on digital trade standards -- once seen as a marquee feature of the IPEF trade pillar -- are largely frozen as the Biden administration has suspended discussions on key rules after reversing longstanding U.S. positions on e-commerce. By adopting these fringe views on digital trade, USTR really brings the main substance on digital trade to a halt," said John Murphy, senior vice president for international policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One of the sources familiar with the talks said that early enthusiasm on the IPEF trade pillar -- which excludes India -- has given way to frustration over the difficulty and complexity of issues involved.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Biden, Joe Biden, IPEF, Wendy Cutler, Cutler, Trump, USTR, John Murphy, David Lawder, Sharon Singleton Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Pacific, Prosperity, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia Society Policy Center, Commerce Department, U.S . Trade, Big Tech, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Asia, Pacific, San Francisco , California, San Francisco, U.S, China, Washington, IPEF, Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, United States, TPP

☆ U.S. suspends Indo-Pacific talks on key aspects of digital trade -lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The halt comes after the U.S. Trade Representative's office last month reversed longstanding U.S. digital trade demands at the World Trade Organization -- no longer insisting on rules that protect free cross-border data flows and prohibit national requirements for data localization and reviews of software source code. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said it withdrew its position to give Congress room to enact stronger technology regulations. "We thank you for suspending negotiations on aspects of the IPEF digital text that can be used to frustrate privacy, AI, civil rights and liberties, anti-monopoly, gig worker and other digital safeguards that Congress and the administration seek," the lawmakers wrote. People familiar with the talks say that discussions on the digital trade chapter have largely ground to a halt because the U.S. position is now unclear and being reevaluated. A USTR spokesperson declined comment on the IPEF digital talks.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Julia Nikhinson, Biden, IPEF, Amy Klobuchar, Pramila Jayapal, David Lawder, Leslie Adler Organizations: Intelligence, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, U.S . Trade, World Trade Organization, Representatives, Commerce Department, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Tech, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Mexico, Canada, IPEF, San Francisco, Asia, China

☆ US drops digital trade demands at WTO to allow room for stronger tech regulation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai speaks during the Axios BFD event in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai has dropped longstanding U.S. digital trade demands in World Trade Organization talks in order to give Congress room to regulate big tech firms, her office said on Wednesday. USTR spokesman Sam Michel said many countries were examining their approaches to data and source code, and how trade rules can affect them. "We need to make clear that digital rules favoring Big Tech monopolies are a non-starter for the U.S. in any trade agreement, including IPEF,” she said. "These digital trade rules prevent countries around the world from using regulation to lock out American companies and their workers from their markets," said John Murphy, the Chamber's senior vice president for international policy.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Brendan McDermid, Trump, Biden, Ron Wyden, ", Wyden, Sam Michel, Michel, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Tai, ”, USTR, John Murphy, David Lawder, Diane Craft Organizations: Trade, REUTERS, Rights, . Trade, Trade Organization, U.S, Reuters, Prosperity, WIN, Oregon Democrat, Senate Finance Committee, Congress, Intel, Democratic, Big Tech, . Chamber, Commerce, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Geneva, CHINA, China, Australia, Japan, Korea, Oregon, United States, Mexico, Canada

☆ WTO needs progress on 'non-market' practices, dispute settlement -USTR's Tai
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

She said that in recent years, the WTO has failed to address non-market practices by some countries, seeking to "dominate key industrial sectors, promote national champions and discriminate foreign competitors, massively subsidize key sectors and manipulate cost structures." "And we certainly need to reform our dispute settlement system." "The United States wants a WTO where dispute settlement is fair and effective and supports a healthy balance of sovereignty, democracy, and economic integration," Tai said. Where we have better rules and tools to tackle non-market policies and practices and to confront the climate crisis and other pressing issues." Tai has long pushed back against China's "non-market" economic and trade practices from China, raising fresh objections to its state-led approach during a late May meeting with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Detroit.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Biden's, Jonathan Ernst, Tai, Ngozi, Iweala, Wang Wentao, David Lawder, Grant McCool Organizations: Trade, REUTERS, Rights, . Trade, World Trade Organization, WTO, Center for Strategic, China's, Chinese Commerce, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, WTO, Washington, China, Abu Dhabi, United States, Detroit

☆ Mexico must address US' 'serious concerns' over energy measures, USTR says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. trade official stressed Mexico's need to address "serious concerns" from the United States of its energy measures, which were raised during consultations under a regional trade pact, the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office said on Thursday. Deputy Trade Representative Jayme White, who met with his Mexican counterpart Alejandro Encinas in Mexico on Wednesday, urged Mexico to address its energy measures which the U.S. says unfairly discriminate against its companies, the USTR said in a statement. The U.S. and Canada demanded dispute settlement talks with Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement over Mexico's energy policy in July 2022. White also expressed concerns over the "recent surge" in U.S. imports of certain steel and aluminum products from Mexico, the USTR said, and the "lack of transparency" regarding their country of origin. White and Encinas additionally discussed ongoing USMCA consultations regarding Mexico's enforcement of fisheries-related environmental laws, the USTR said.

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Jayme White, Alejandro Encinas, White, Encinas, Kylie Madry, Valentine Hilaire, Richard Chang Organizations: Ciudad Juarez, REUTERS, U.S . Trade, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Paso del Norte, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, MEXICO, U.S, United States, Canada

U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. The summit declaration avoided condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine but highlighted the human suffering the conflict had caused and called on all states not to use force to grab territory. A failure to agree on a summit declaration would have signalled that the G20 was split, perhaps irrevocably, between the West on one side and China and Russia on the other, analysts said. Diplomats have said negotiators from India, Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa drove the consensus in the summit document. Despite the lack of concrete progress, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India's chief G20 coordinator, said the meeting did take the group forward.

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Ursula von der Leyen, Evelyn Hockstein, Michael Froman, Svetlana Lukash, Lukash, Patryk Kugiel, ” Kugiel, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, India's, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Vardhan, ”, Michel Rose, Aftab Ahmed, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Indian, European, REUTERS, Diplomats, African Union, India, Foreign Relations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Russian G20, Polish Institute of International Affairs, Xinhua, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, York, U.S, China, Beijing, Russian, Warsaw, Delhi, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Germany, Britain

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's steps to roll back reforms aimed at opening Mexico's power and oil markets to foreign competitors ultimately sparked the trade dispute. The steps add to a significant worsening of trade relations between Washington and Mexico City, even as their economic integration grows. Like the energy policies, Washington argues that banning GMO corn for human and animal consumption violates Mexico's obligations under the trade pact. The White House has hoped to avoid escalating energy trade tensions with Mexico as it sought help on immigration and drug trafficking, but talks that began last year have made little progress. In 2022, Mexico had a $130.5 billion goods trade surplus with the United States.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Tatiana Clouthier, Trade Mary Ng, Joe Biden's, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's, USTR, Obrador, Biden, Donald Trump, Jarrett Renshaw, David Lawder, Stephen Eisenhammer, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Trade, Small Business, Export, Washington, United States Trade Representative, United, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum, Comision Federal, Mexico, Ministry, U.S, North American Free Trade, Thomson Locations: Mexican, United States, Mexico, Canada, Mexico City, U.S, United States Mexico Canada, USMCA, Washington, China, Washington's

☆ U.S.-India relationship has reached new heights as the two align across policy areas, USTR says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative on the first day of the three-day B20 Summit in New Delhi, India. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the U.S.-India relationship is reaching new heights as the two align "across all the policy areas." "It's certainly true that today, this relationship is experiencing new heights." The U.S. and India are closer now than ever before, but that relationship could be further strengthened. "Many of [these tariffs] have been pending for years and we've agreed to bury the hatchet on those," Tai said.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Tai, CNBC's Martin Soong, Narendra Modi's, Joe Biden, we've Organizations: Katherine Tai , U.S . Trade, U.S . Trade, U.S ., Washington, B20, Indian, U.S Locations: Katherine Tai , U.S, New Delhi, India, U.S

☆ US seeks trade panel to resolve labor conflict at Mexican mine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The logo of mining and infrastructure firm Grupo Mexico is pictured at its headquarters in Mexico City, Mexico, August 8, 2017. In a statement, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said it disagrees with the Mexican government's determination. "It is appropriate to request a panel to verify the facility's compliance with Mexican labor laws," the USTR said. Companies have closely watched U.S. labor complaints play out since the 2020 start of the USMCA, which replaced NAFTA. Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City and Paul Grant in Washington; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Boyle in Mexico City; Editing by Dan Whitcomb, Andy Sullivan & Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ginnette, Daina Beth Solomon, Paul Grant, Brendan O'Boyle, Dan Whitcomb, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Grupo, REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, U.S, Grupo Mexico's, U.S . Trade Representative, Companies, Miners, Grupo Mexico, Thomson Locations: Grupo Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico, WASHINGTON, MEXICO, Grupo Mexico's San Martin, United States, Canada, Mexican, San Martin, U.S, Washington

☆ Canada to challenge extension of US softwood lumber duties
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Finished lumber is seen at West Fraser Pacific Inland Resources sawmill in Smithers, British Columbia, Canada February 4, 2020. REUTERS/Jesse Winter/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOTTAWA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Canada will challenge what Ottawa described as an "unfair, unjust and illegal" extension of U.S. import duties on Canadian softwood lumber products, the trade ministry said on Tuesday. The softwood lumber tariffs are the legacy of a decades-long trade dispute over the structure of Canada's timber sector that could not be resolved when a quota agreement expired in 2015. "For years, the United States has imposed unfair, unjust and illegal duties on Canadian softwood lumber, hurting Canadian industry and increasing housing costs in both countries," Trade Minister Mary Ng said in the statement. "We are prepared to discuss another softwood lumber agreement when Canada is ready to address the underlying issues related to subsidization and fair competition so that Canadian lumber imports do not injure the U.S. industry," a USTR spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Persons: Jesse Winter, Mary Ng, Ismail Shakil, Susan Heavey, Devika Syamnath, Andy Sullivan Organizations: West Fraser Pacific Inland Resources, REUTERS, Rights OTTAWA, Ottawa, U.S . Commerce Department, Canada, Washington, Trade, United, U.S . Trade, Thomson Locations: West, Smithers , British Columbia, Canada, U.S, Mexico, United States, Ottawa, Bengaluru

☆ US welcomes WTO panel report on China steel, aluminum tariffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A staff member wearing a face mask walks past United States and Chinese flags set up before a meeting between Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, Saturday, July 8, 2023. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday said it was pleased with a World Trade Organization panel report that it said recognized the United States' section 232 actions on steel and aluminum are security measures and rejected China's arguments. "The United States is pleased with the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel report released today, recognizing that the U.S. Section 232 actions on steel and aluminum are security measures, and that the People’s Republic of China (China) illegally retaliated with sham 'safeguard' tariffs," the USTR said in a statement. Reporting by Susan HeaveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Mark Schiefelbein, Susan Heavey Organizations: Rights, U.S . Trade, World Trade Organization, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Diaoyutai, Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China

[1/3] Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Day Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., July 28, 2023. China is mentioned daily at campaign stops, in digital ads and in policy speeches by the various Republican candidates. Some 50% of Americans identify China as the greatest threat to the United States, according to a Pew Research poll released in late July. On the stump, they have said the United States must stand by Ukraine. If the United States does not confront Russia, they say, China will feel emboldened.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Scott Morgan, Democratic Biden, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Tim Scott, Trump, Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio's, Joe Biden, Pew, Haley, Scott, Jamieson Greer, King, Wendy Cutler, Mike Pence, Gram Slattery, David Lawder, Michael Martina, Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell Organizations: Florida Governor, Republican, Republican Party of Iowa's, REUTERS, Democratic, East, Newsweek, Justice Department, Pew Research, Trade, Spalding, U.S . Trade Representative, Trump, Heritage Foundation, Russia, China, American Enterprise Institute, Thomson Locations: Des Moines , Iowa, U.S, ROCHESTER , New Hampshire, China, United States, America, Communist China, Russia, Iran, Beijing, Washington, Ukraine

☆ US, Mexico agree on labor rights plan for Mexican Goodyear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, July 19 (Reuters) - The United States and Mexico reached an agreement to remedy violations of workers' rights at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co (GT.O) plant in the Mexican city of San Luis Potosi, both countries said on Wednesday. The Mexican government has committed to carry out a number of measures under the agreement, the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office said in a statement. Goodyear must also inform workers of their labor rights and respect union activity, the USTR said. Mexico will carry out periodic inspections of the plant, and if warranted, could impose sanctions on people, labor organizations or the company, the USTR said. The remediation plan comes after a petition from a Mexican independent union, which found Goodyear was offering employees fewer benefits than an industry-wide agreement required.

Persons: Goodyear, Raul Cortes, Valentine Hilaire, Kylie Madry, Brendan O'Boyle, Sonali Paul Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Goodyear Tire &, U.S . Trade, Goodyear, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, United States, Mexico, Mexican, San Luis Potosi, U.S

☆ US trade group blasts Canada for refusal to extend digital services tax freeze
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - The U.S.-based National Foreign Trade Council on Thursday blasted Canada for its refusal to back a global agreement to hold off on implementing digital services taxes for at least another year, and said the move could invite retaliation. NFTC President Jake Colvin said he welcomed news from the OECD that most countries with digital services taxes had agreed to extend the moratorium on implementation. He also said the move would allow countries to keep working a global tax deal in good faith. "Canada joined Belarus, Russia and a small handful of others in not joining because they seem to want to move forward quickly with their digital services tax," Colvin said. Colvin said Washington could retaliate under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if Canada went ahead and implemented the new tax.

Persons: Jake Colvin, Colvin, We're, Chrystia Freeland, Washington, Katherine Tai, Mary Ng, Andrea Shalal, Anna Driver Organizations: Foreign Trade, OECD, Canadian Finance, U.S, . Trade, Canadian Trade, Thomson Locations: U.S, Canada, Belarus, Russia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

[1/3] US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during her meeting with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng (out of frame) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 8, 2023. Yellen said nothing publicly to indicate that the U.S. was poised to ease tariffs, but commentators in China were hopeful, amid a U.S. Trade Representative review. "While U.S might continue its technological curbs on China, a reduction or exemption of non-core tariffs against China is possible." Yellen last year advocated eliminating some duties on "non-strategic" goods as a way to ease some specific costs amid high inflation. Haley has said she would push Congress to revoke China’s trade status until China curbs its alleged role in the fentanyl trade.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Lifeng, Pedro PARDO, Janet Yellen's, Biden, Harry Broadman, Donald Trump's, Premier Li Qiang, Yellen, Hong Hao, Chad Bown, " Bown, Josh Hawley, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Haley, Donald Trump, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Gram Slattery, Jeff Mason, Heather Timmons, Nick Zieminski Organizations: China's, WASHINGTON, . Treasury, Trump, White House, World Bank, Berkeley Research, Premier, U.S . Treasury, . Trade, China's Finance, U.S, Grow Investment, Times, Peterson Institute of International Economics, Reuters, Republican, Firebrand, Thomson Locations: Diaoyutai, Beijing, China, U.S, Washington, U.s, Donald Trump's China, CHINA, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Florida, Mexico, Cuba

Summary Canadian minister Ng notes progress with Mexico over energyUSTR Tai urges Mexico to monitor steel and aluminum exports to U.S.MEXICO CITY, July 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. sees some progress made on an energy dispute with Mexico, although "deep-seated" concerns persist, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Thursday shortly before talks in Mexico with top Mexican and Canadian trade officials. The U.S. and Canada demanded dispute settlement talks over energy with Mexico in July 2022, arguing that Mexico's nationalist energy policies, which have tightened state control over the energy market, were discriminatory to U.S. companies. Canada's Ng separately noted progress with Mexico over energy issues, saying concerns from Canadian companies had been addressed. In addition to the energy spat, the U.S. and Mexico are engaged in a dispute over Mexico's decree to limit the use of genetically modified (GM) corn. Before the meeting, Tai said trade dispute settlement consultations over GM corn, which the U.S. requested in June, began with Mexico last week.

Persons: Ng, Tai, Katherine Tai, Raquel Buenrostro, of International Trade Mary Ng, Canada's Ng, Daina Beth Solomon, Cassandra Garrison, Costas Pitas, Brendan O'Boyle, Marguerita Choy, Diane Craft Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Trade, USMCA Free Trade Commission, Mexican, of International Trade, Thomson Locations: Mexico, U.S, MEXICO, Canada, American, Mexican, Cancun

MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) - Mexico said on Friday it would counter U.S. arguments over agriculture biotech measures, including plans to limit its use of genetically modified (GM) corn, in trade dispute settlement consultations requested by Washington earlier in the day. If the consultations fail to resolve disagreements within 75 days, Washington can request a dispute settlement panel to decide the case. The United States requested formal trade consultations in March over objections to Mexico's plans to limit imports of GM corn and other agricultural biotechnology products. The new decree eliminated a deadline to ban GM corn for animal feed and industrial use, by far the bulk of its $5 billion worth of U.S. corn imports, but maintained a ban on GM corn used in dough or tortillas. Some sector experts have expressed concern that the move could set a precedent among other countries, which would disrupt the global corn trade.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, February's, Tom Haag, Cassandra Garrison, Adriana Barrera, Kylie Madry, Dave Graham, Ismail Shakil, Leslie Adler, William Mallard Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Washington, U.S, Trade Ministry, United, U.S . Trade, U.S ., Corn Growers Association, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, Canada, U.S, Washington, United States, Mexican, Mexico City, Ottawa

MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. is escalating its conflict with Mexico over agriculture biotech measures, including the stance on genetically modified (GM) corn, by requesting dispute settlement consultations, senior officials of the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Friday. If the consultations announced on Friday fail to resolve disagreements within 75 days, Washington can request a dispute settlement panel to decide the case. The United States requested formal trade consultations in March over objections to Mexico's plans to limit imports of GM corn and other agricultural biotechnology products. Earlier this week, Mexico's agriculture minister expressed confidence in an interview that the dispute with the U.S. would not escalate to a dispute settlement panel. The new decree eliminated the deadline to ban GM corn for animal feed and industrial use, by far the bulk of its $5 billion worth of U.S. corn imports, but maintained a ban on GM corn used in dough or tortillas.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Tom Vilsack, Tom Haag, Cassandra Garrison, Adriana Barrera, Ismail Shakil, Leslie Adler Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Trade, U.S, Trade Ministry, United, Economy Ministry, Agriculture, U.S ., Corn Growers Association, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, U.S, Mexico, Canada, Washington, United States, Mexico City, Ottawa

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