The administration faces court challenges over its Section 301 tariffs, its ban on WeChat, and its ever-changing TikTok deals. The House meanwhile passed two bills banning trade with Chinese entities employing Uighur or other forced labor and another renewing Caribbean Preferences. The weekly trade report with LC The court case filed on September 10th by […]
Do Section 232 tariffs violate the Constitution?
Trade correspondent L.C. reports: The Court of International Trade in New York heard oral arguments on December 19th against President Trump’s use of the Section 232 (national-defense related) provisions of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. At issue are the tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum and pending decisions on automotive imports and uranium. Both […]
Trade in split Congress likely to be bipartisan but protectionist
Trade correspondent L.C. reports: In the wake of the highly partisan US midterm elections, trade is one of the few areas where bipartisanship is possible. Most observers believe that Congress will pass the US-Canada-Mexico (USMCA, a.k.a. NAFTA 2.0) implementing bill during 2019. It is also likely that Congress will approve the start of trade talks […]
Xi under pressure as US-China tariff standoff escalates
Trade correspondent L.C. reports: The US-China tariff standoff escalated again this week. The President on August 1st directed US Trade Representative (USTR) Lighthizer to look at the possibility of imposing tariffs of 25%, rather than 10%, on the next tranche of China imports to be subjected to tariffs. That tranche, containing thousands of products, is […]
First trade talks with China fail; Cold War the new reality
Failure of first round of US-China trade talks May 8th, based principally on L.C.’s weekly trade reporting. The good news is that the two sides agreed to continue talking. The bad news is that there was no indication from the May 3rd-4th meeting that any potential landing zones, compromises, or concessions were even discussed. Before […]
