The U.S. Trade Rep’s office is looking at making trade more fair. It comes after an investigation into China, and it directly targets their maritime industry.
The Office says China is dominating in areas like maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding, warning it places unreasonable burdens on U.S. commerce. They are hoping to use fees on Chinese ship operators and owners.
Not everyone is on board, though, with one U.S. shipping industry official calling the proposal “catastrophic.” Consultants with O’Neil Commodity Consulting say that in 2022, more than a third of all commercial ships were built in China, and that number is now closer to 22 percent.
Related Stories
USDA released the November WASDE Report on Friday, the first supply-and-demand estimate to drop since September, just before the 43-day government shutdown.
U.S. Trade officials announced new deals with El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Argentina, as well as a steep reduction in tariffs on Swiss imports.
China’s cost advantage with Brazilian soybeans and vague public messaging leave U.S. export prospects uncertain heading into winter.
The request follows pressure from the American Sheep Industry Association (ASIA), which called for a formal investigation into whether lamb imports from Australia and New Zealand have cut into the U.S. market share.
David Hardin with the Indiana Soybean Alliance discusses USMEF’s push to open new global export markets for both meat and soy-based feed.
With the U.S.–Vietnam agreement nearing signature, U.S. cotton, corn, and soybean exporters could lock in new demand lanes just as global supply shifts.
