The United States on Thursday presented a project to strengthen sanctions against what they see as unfair trade practices, some parts might offend China, its largest foreign supplier.
"Today's announcements are a further demonstration of our continuing efforts to improve our mechanisms for regulating trade," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke.
Some of the proposals could lead to an increase in anti-dumping duties and countervailing measures levied on imports from China, the country most frequently targeted by U.S. complaints for unfair business practices in recent years.
The proposed Washington seeks to strengthen the effectiveness of trade protection in the United States "in various areas," he told Reuters an official U.S. Department of Commerce."This is a process that will continue into the autumn months," he added.
With the fall of the popularity ratings of Barack Obama and the approach of midterm elections, Democrats have begun developing a program "Made in America" in order to support American industry and create jobs .
The reassessment of anti-dumping and countervailing measures comes ahead of the target of doubling in five years for U.S. exports, announced by Barack Obama in his speech on the state of the Union.
The plan unveiled Thursday, however, refrain from any decision on whether to open a formal investigation on China's foreign exchange policy, which could lead to the conclusion that the undervaluation of the yuan is state aid to exporters violating rules of world trade, obviously very sensitive.
China accounted for 19% of merchandise imports in the United States in 2009, totaling 296.4 billion dollars (233.5 billion), making it the first provider outside of the U.S. economy front, in order, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, England, South Korea, France and Venezuela.
CHINA WOULD BE NO DOUBT Annoyed
Less than 3% of U.S. imports, however, are affected by charges of anti-dumping measures, so that the proposals Thursday affect in a small proportion of the goods.
U.S. officials have highlighted three points they think they could have the greatest impact.
The first would require importers to make a cash payment to cover the preliminary duties once they are announced.
The second is to evade taxes Chinese exports of calculating countervailing duties and anti-dumping.It is now standard practice for goods originating in "market economies" such as Japan or Europe but it does not apply to countries' non-market economies "like China.
The latter would "undoubtedly" upset by this proposal because it would lead to higher taxes on its products, officials said the State Department of Commerce.
The third main proposal to end the practice not to impose antidumping orders to companies that can prove for three consecutive years they have not exported goods an unfair price to the U.S. .
Asked by Reuters, a lawyer specializing in commercial law has estimated that these measures were long overdue and found that it does not violate the rules of the World Trade Organization.
"I think they will help domestic industries that have problems with unfair trade practices," said Paul Rosenthel, managing partner in the Washington office of Kelley Drye and Warren.
These decisions should not lead to an increase in dumping cases, but they would improve the effectiveness of corrective measures, "he added.