U.S. electronics, steel makers to gain in trade issue (U.S. case on China)

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http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1170509455203330.xml&coll=2

Saturday, February 03, 2007
Christopher S. Rugaber
Associated Press

Washington -- U.S. makers of electronics, steel and paper products, who have long complained about China's industrial subsidies, stand to benefit from a Bush administration complaint filed Friday with the World Trade Organization...

One association member, Michael Campbell, the CEO of Norwalk, Conn.-based Arch Chemicals Inc., told a Senate hearing on Wednesday that some manufacturers are seeing "prices of Chinese products so low -- sometimes even lower than the cost of the raw materials -- that it is difficult for them to see how they can compete.".

The American Iron and Steel Institute praised the trade representative's action but said it didn't go far enough.

The complaint "only touches the tip of the iceberg of the full range of subsidies being pro vided to steel and other manufacturing industries in China," said Andrew Sharkey, president and chief executive of the institute...


U.S. files case against China
Nation's tax laws promote exports, penalize imports, WTO told

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1170509436203330.xml&coll=2

Saturday, February 03, 2007
Martin Crutsinger
Associated Press

Washington- ...The action came as the administration faced increased pressure from the Democratic-controlled Congress to do something about the nation's soaring trade deficits and lost manufacturing jobs, which critics blame in part on unfair trade practices by foreign nations.

The complaint alleges that China uses WTO-illegal tax breaks to encourage Chinese companies to export more to the United States while imposing tax and tariff penalties to limit purchases of U.S. products in China...

Schwab's announcement came two days after Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson faced stiff questioning before a congressional panel, where both Democrats and Republicans accused the administration of doing too little to deal with America's record trade deficits, including deficits with China, which are at all-time highs.

"This case represents a step in the right direction, but it must be part of a much more aggressive program to take actions against violations of WTO obligations," said Rep. Sander Levin, Democrat of Michigan and the head of a House Ways and Means trade panel...





http://english.people.com.cn/200702/03/eng20070203_347280.html

The United States has filed a trade case against China in the World Trade Organization (WTO) about subsidies, U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab said on Friday.

The top U.S. trade official alleged that China has provides subsidies to encourage exports and discriminate against imports of American manufactured goods.

"We are committed to challenging China's WTO-inconsistent practices that harm American workers and businesses," she said.

Under WTO dispute settlement procedures, the United States and China would normally consult each other within 30 days. If it fails, a WTO dispute panel will be convened to handle it.

Source: Xinhua