Washington. President Joe Biden wants to triple tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imported by the United States, considering that there is “unfair competition” that penalizes workers in his country, the White House announced this Wednesday in the midst of the election campaign.
“China’s policies and subsidies in favor of its local steel and aluminum industries mean that high-quality American products are harmed,” the White House emphasized in a statement.
At a campaign event in Pennsylvania, a key state for the November presidential elections and with a deep industrial past, Biden stated that “Chinese steel companies do not need to worry about making profits because the Chinese government is subsidizing them.”
“They are not competing, they are cheating,” the president launched at the headquarters of the United Steelworkers union in Pittsburgh.
Biden, who at 81 years old hopes to be re-elected in November against Donald Trump, asked the Trade Representative (USTR) to “triple the current tariffs,” of 7.5 percent on average, imposed on a portion of the Chinese steel and aluminum imported by USA.
Despite these numbers, Biden denied that he is seeking a “trade war” with China. “They are xenophobic,” he stated. “They have really asked for problems. “I do not want a confrontation with China, but competition, fair competition,” he insisted.
The Democratic president wants to convince voters that he is the best ally of workers and unions.
Recently, he obtained the support of the metalworkers union for the elections, after opposing the purchase of the American steel group US Steel by the Japanese Nippon Steel.
For his part, the former Republican president Donald Trump (2017-2021) is also trying to win the working class vote: he presents himself as the champion of the reactivation of the American manufacturing industry and promised to substantially raise – once again, as he did in his previous presidency – the tariffs in case of victory.
Argues issues of economic and internal security
In parallel, Washington announced the launch of an investigation into “China’s unfair practices in the shipyard, maritime transport and logistics sectors.”
This investigation will be carried out by the USTR office and responds to a request from several union organizations in these sectors, which denounce Chinese policies, “more aggressive and interventionist than those of any other country.”
These are accusations “that reflect what we have already seen in other sectors,” reacted on Wednesday the US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, who promised to carry out a “complete and in-depth” investigation.
“Steel is an essential component for our national shipbuilding industry,” the White House said.
The US blames China for its own industrial problems, Beijing responds
Beijing denounces “false accusations” from Washington. The investigation “misinterprets normal trade and investment activities as harmful to national security and the interests of American companies,” the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.
The United States “imposes its own industrial problems on China,” he stressed.
These announcements are part of a context of strong rivalry with China, despite the renewed dialogue between the two largest world economies, and measures to reduce US dependence on Chinese industries.
“Steel made in the United States remains essential to our economic and domestic security,” but “high-quality American products are in competition with artificially cheap alternatives produced with higher carbon emissions,” the White House emphasized.
Growing concern
The Biden administration cited “growing concerns that China’s unfair trade practices, such as flooding the market with steel sold below market cost, are distorting the global shipbuilding market and eroding competition.”
The European Union is in a tug-of-war with Beijing, which it accuses of distorting its market by flooding it with low-priced products, and not just metals.
Chilean industry also denounces disadvantage in the face of Chinese steel
In Latin America, the steel industry, which generates 1.4 million jobs, is also concerned and demands import taxes.
The main Chilean steel company, Huachipato, recently announced the gradual suspension of its operations if it does not receive tariff protection, overwhelmed by the avalanche of Chinese steel that is marketed up to 40 percent cheaper than that produced in Chile. About 3 thousand jobs are at risk.
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– 2024-04-26 00:24:00
