The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Wednesday it has opened investigations into trade practices in 16 foreign economies, examining whether their manufacturing policies are flooding global markets with excess goods and harming American industry.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the probes were launched under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, a law that allows the United States to investigate and respond to unfair trade practices that burden U.S. commerce. The investigations will review whether foreign governments are encouraging production levels that exceed domestic demand, pushing surplus goods into international markets and undercutting U.S. manufacturers.
The economies under review include China, the European Union, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Japan, and India.
Greer said many U.S. trading partners are producing more manufactured goods than their own markets can absorb, leading to exports that displace American production or discourage investment in domestic manufacturing. The administration says the investigations are part of Donald Trump’s broader effort to rebuild U.S. manufacturing and bring supply chains back to the United States.
Under the process, the United States will first seek consultations with the governments involved. A public comment docket will open March 17, with written submissions and requests to testify due by April 15. The trade office plans to begin hearings on the matter starting May 5.
