U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is launching a Section 301 investigation on how China implemented -- or failed to implement -- its commitments in the phase one trade agreement. It will examine if there was a burden on U.S. commerce from non-implementation "and what action, if any, should be taken in response."
Small businesses have to hike prices more due to imports compared with large companies, and also are likely to face a higher tariff burden because of their lack of leverage with suppliers, according to an analysis published this week by the American Action Forum's Jacob Jensen.
Think tank and academic experts say that China and the U.S. are misinterpreting both sides' actions and the other country's vulnerability to the trade war, and that may extend the battles.
Ten Democrats, including the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, told Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that they are questioning the legitimacy of tariffs on national security grounds against cars, household appliances and kitchen cabinets.
The Court of International Trade on Oct. 20 denied importer Detroit Axle's motion to lift the stay of its case contesting President Donald Trump's decision to end the de minimis threshold for goods from China. In a text-only order, the trade court said the company's motion for partial summary judgment is stayed pending resolution of V.O.S. Selections v. Donald J. Trump, the lead case on whether Trump can use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs, which is currently being briefed before the Supreme Court (Axle of Dearborn d/b/a Detroit Axle v. United States, CIT # 25-00091).
In an effort to drive sales, suppliers have been offering dodgy tariff mitigation strategies to importers, lawyers with Foley and Lardner warned during an Oct. 22 webinar. Suppliers, particularly in countries hard-hit by tariffs like China and India, are as desperate as importers to avoid the painfully high tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, and may offer bad advice to importers to drive sales, lawyer John Turlais said.
Nicholas Burns, a career diplomat who served as ambassador to China in the Biden administration, told the Atlantic Council that while the Trump administration may have miscalculated "that China didn't have real weight to throw around," he also thinks President Donald Trump has been right to be "tough-minded" on China's economic policies.
President Donald Trump pushed back on complaints from cattle ranchers and politicians who have large cattle industries in their states, arguing that the 50% tariff he put on Brazilian beef already juiced their bottom lines.
President Donald Trump said on social media that the CEOs of General Motors and Ford, Mary Barra and Bill Ford, “just called to thank me for putting Tariffs on Mid Size and Large Size Trucks. Their Stock has gone through the roof! They told me that, without Tariffs, it would be a very hard, long ‘slog’ for Truck and Car Manufacturers in the United States. I told them, it’s very simple, this is a National Security matter. With the Tariffs, we have a strong and powerful Economy and Country. Without them, we have the exact opposite!”
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.