Joe Biden wants to triple customs duties on Chinese steel and aluminum, denouncing “unfair” competition for American workers, a new appeal to workers in the middle of the electoral campaign.
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The White House on Wednesday denounced “China’s policies and subsidies for its steel and aluminum industries,” according to a press release.
Thus, Joe Biden, who hopes to be re-elected in November, calls on his Trade Representative (USTR) to “consider tripling the current customs duties”, of 7.5% on average, imposed on part of the steel and Chinese aluminum imported into the United States.
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Joe Biden is traveling to Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), a city with a heavy industrial past, on Wednesday on the second day of a tour of this key state for the presidential election.
The Democratic president wants to convince people that he is the best ally of workers and unions, and will go to the headquarters of the metalworkers’ union (USW). He recently obtained their support for the election, notably thanks to his opposition to the takeover of the American steel giant US Steel by the Japanese Nippon Steel.
The USW had in passing scratched the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, who is also trying to win the votes of blue-collar workers and presents himself as the champion of the revival of the American manufacturing industry. And promised to significantly increase customs duties if he is elected.
“Economic and internal security”
The Biden administration also announced on Wednesday the launch of an investigation into “China’s unfair practices in the shipbuilding, shipping and logistics sectors.”
It will be led by the American Trade Representative (USTR) and responds to a request from trade union organizations in the sector who denounce Chinese policies “much more aggressive and interventionist than any other country”.
Accusations “which reflect what we have already seen in other sectors,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai reacted on Wednesday. “I am committed to undertaking a full and thorough investigation,” she added.
“Steel is an essential component for our domestic shipbuilding industry,” noted the White House.
His announcements come against a backdrop of strong rivalry with China, despite renewed dialogue between the two countries, and measures to limit the United States’ dependence on Chinese industry.
“American-made steel remains essential to our economic and domestic security. American companies must lead the future of more sustainable steel,” the White House said.
However, currently, “high-quality American products find themselves competing with artificially cheap alternatives produced with higher carbon emissions.”
Production overcapacity
The Biden administration cites “growing concerns that China’s unfair trade practices, including flooding the market with steel sold below market cost, are distorting the global shipbuilding market and eroding competition”.
Concerns about overcapacity in China’s steel industry have grown since its construction sector slowed sharply, freeing up products for export.
Faced with the slowdown in real estate which is driving its growth, China is in fact massively subsidizing certain industries, despite less strong international demand.
The European Union has engaged in a standoff with Beijing, which it accuses of distorting its market by flooding it with low-cost products, not just for metals.
In Latin America, the steel industry is worried and is demanding import taxes.
The American Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, a week after a trip to Beijing, met her Chinese counterpart in Washington on Tuesday, as part of the spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. The question of China’s overproduction, in particular, was addressed again.
Joe Biden’s administration is calling for a doubling of investments for new factories in the United States since coming to power in January 2021, and the creation of nearly 80,000 manufacturing jobs.
