AAEI co-signed an industry letter calling on the Biden Administration to restart trade negotiations with China, cut tariffs and improve the tariff exclusion process at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The letter was signed by more than 30 business groups and covered by major news publications.
USTR says it currently is reviewing the Phase One trade deal that the Trump Administration negotiated with China and has provided no indication whether it plans to keep the related tariffs. About half of U.S. imports from China are getting taxed by Section 301 tariffs, which ultimately are paid by U.S. consumers. Reducing those tariffs would entail a restart of the trade talks that led to the Phase One deal. The letter urges, “There is more work to be done by both governments to ensure that China meets its existing purchase commitments… Continue negotiations with China to remove both nations’ counterproductive tariffs as soon as possible.”
AAEI and the other signatories say the tariffs harm US consumers, manufacturers, service providers, and exporters. “The Administration can take immediate steps to relieve increasing inflationary pressures and rising prices for all Americans by reducing these tariffs.”
AAEI also calls on USTR to restart a tariff exclusion process that is fair and transparent and to retroactively restore product exclusions that expired in 2020.
The letter’s signatories include:
- US-China Business Council
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- AdvaMed
- American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA)
- American Association of Exporters and
Importers (AAEI) - American Chemistry Council
- American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI)
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Feed Industry Association
- American Seed Trade Association
- American Soybean Association
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
- Business Roundtable
- Coalition of Services Industries (CSI)
- CropLife America
- Futures Industry Association (FIA)
- Idaho Potato Commission
- Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)
- Leather and Hide Council of America
- National American Meat Institute
- National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC)
- National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC)
- National Retail Federation (NRF)
- Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America (PhRMA) - Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA)
- Securities Industry and Financial Markets
Association (SIFMA) - SEMI
- Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA)
- Sports and Fitness Industry Association
- Travel Goods Association
- U.S. Apple Association
AAEI’s Trade Policy Committee will discuss the industry letter and response at its next meeting. For more information, please go to the AAEI Member Center. Want to become a member? Click here.
