USTR Submits Biden Administration's First Trade Agenda Report to Congress
Reaffirms Tough Stance on China...Restores Alliances and Partnerships
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The Biden administration in the United States has taken a tough stance, stating it will mobilize all available means to counter China’s unfair trade practices.
On the 1st (local time), the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) revealed this in the Biden administration’s trade agenda report for this year submitted to Congress, stating, "China’s oppressive and unfair trade practices threaten the U.S.’s technological superiority and weaken the resilience of supply chains." The report further stated, "We recognize that these Chinese practices harm U.S. national interests and will develop a comprehensive strategy."
It also announced that it will maintain a policy of strongly pressuring China, which is considered the primary target of containment, while strengthening solidarity with allies. This is also interpreted as an intention to focus more on human rights, environmental, and labor issues within China in its trade policy toward China.
In particular, the USTR emphasized that it will respond firmly to the forced labor programs targeting ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, where human rights abuses are occurring.
Additionally, the Biden administration stated it will promote cooperation with allies to address global market distortions caused by overproduction, highlighting steel, aluminum, fiber optics, and solar energy?industries heavily supported by the Chinese government?as key sectors for focused management.
Besides these, the USTR identified the following as major trade agenda items: ▲ pandemic response and economic recovery ▲ worker-centered trade policies ▲ environment and climate change ▲ response to China’s unfair trade practices ▲ restoration of alliances and partnerships ▲ and fair growth worldwide.
This is interpreted as a reaffirmation of the Biden administration’s commitment to prioritizing urgent domestic issues such as overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, economic stimulus, protecting domestic workers, and addressing climate change.
The USTR particularly listed restoring U.S. leadership and rebuilding partnerships and alliances as top priorities, and also stated it will cooperate with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to pursue substantive reforms of WTO rules and procedures to address challenges in the international trade system.
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