The White House’s Section 301 investigations were launched to identify structural excess capacity among 16 trading partners, including China
“[It] lacks sufficient statutory basis and supporting evidence” and “circumvents several established multilateral mechanisms”, Michelle Zang, speaking on behalf of the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), a state-backed trade body, told the hearing.
Tuesday’s hearing comes less than two weeks before Trump’s planned visit to China, where trade disputes are expected to feature prominently in talks with Xi. If the investigation finds unfair trade practices, defined as “unreasonable acts”, it could give the White House a legal basis to impose new tariffs on China and other major trading partners.
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“Excess capacity is an economic condition, not a government conduct,” Zang said. “We urge the investigation to accurately identify government conduct with specificity, not merely point to aggregate economic outcomes.”
Source: News - South China Morning Post
