A top Republican focused on America's competition with China introduced a bill on Thursday to end normal trade relations with China.
Rep. John Moolener (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Select Committee on the Communist Party of China, proposed reversing China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) policy, which has been in place for more than 20 years.
Lawmakers from both parties have increasingly criticized China's unfair trade practices, and President Biden has maintained tariffs on Chinese goods introduced during the Trump administration.
President-elect Trump has proposed imposing 60% tariffs on all Chinese goods, and Moolenaar's bill would further strengthen U.S. efforts to tighten controls on imports from China. It will be.
“Last year, our bipartisan task force overwhelmingly agreed that the United States must reset its economic relationship with China. Today, based on tariffs from the Trump and Biden administrations, trade The Just Recovery Act would strip China of permanent normal trade relations with the United States, protect our national security, support supply chain resiliency, and bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States and our allies. ” Moolenaar said in a statement.
“This policy will level the playing field and help Americans win the strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party.” [Chinese Communist Party]”
A companion bill was previously introduced in the Senate by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who was recently announced as President Trump's nominee for Secretary of State. .
The bill would terminate China's PNTR and disallow annual parliamentary votes for recertification, a process that took place before the PNTR was agreed to in 2000.
Moulenard's bill would codify tariffs, create a new tariff section for China, and gradually increase tariffs on non-strategic and strategic goods.
Other provisions of the bill would provide tariff revenue to U.S. farmers and manufacturers “harmed by potential Chinese retaliation.” The additional proceeds would then be used to purchase munitions related to deterring Chinese military activity in the Pacific.
Although the bill is unlikely to be taken up during a lame-duck session of Congress, it would give the incoming Trump administration leverage in trade negotiations with China and provide a smooth path to passage in next year's Republican-controlled Congress. is likely to follow.
