President Biden has been a harsh critic of former president Donald Trump. Despite their differences, Biden has primarily continued the trade and industrial policies set during the Trump administration.
Biden has maintained Trump人妖色情片檚 人妖色情片淐hina tariffs人妖色情片 and added strong Buy America requirements to his signature legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. This is wise policy and good politics, since voters hold an overwhelmingly negative view of China. However, these tariff and tax incentives also help create good jobs nationwide. So the question is 人妖色情片 would Kamala Harris continue Biden人妖色情片檚 policies?
As a senator, Harris voted against a renegotiated NAFTA (known as 人妖色情片淯SMCA人妖色情片) because it contained 人妖色情片渋nsufficient人妖色情片 environmental provisions. She also opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership because it didn人妖色情片檛 人妖色情片渞aise environmental standards.人妖色情片 Other than that, there人妖色情片檚 little in her record to determine her views on global trade.
U.S.-China relations will be a critical issue in the next administration. The United States has already lost 3.8 million jobs to China since 2000. And Beijing continues illegally trans-shipping exports to avoid U.S. tariffs. Beijing is also meddling in U.S. elections and conducting espionage against America人妖色情片檚 public officials 人妖色情片 including two New York governors. Clearly, Beijing is pursuing a win-at-all-costs strategy.
China isn人妖色情片檛 the only country looking to game the global trading system. Mexico is dumping steel in the U.S. market, violating a 2019 agreement. It is also welcoming scores of new Chinese factories just south of the U.S. border 人妖色情片 helping Chinese firms evade U.S. tariffs.
These are among the many critical issues affecting American workers that the next president must confront. For example, the USMCA is due to be revisited in 2026. However, America人妖色情片檚 trade deficit with Mexico keeps climbing yearly. With China eagerly exploiting the USMCA to build Mexican factories, the trade deal must be strengthened to protect America人妖色情片檚 manufacturers.
There人妖色情片檚 also global competition for solar panels, electric vehicles and batteries. In May, the administration raised the tariff on Chinese EVs to 100%. The president explained that this will 人妖色情片減rotect American manufacturers from China人妖色情片檚 unfair trade practices.人妖色情片
The administration has also increased tariffs on steel, aluminum, semiconductors, EV batteries and solar cells. Some consider this to be strong medicine. There人妖色情片檚 now bipartisan support for it in Congress 人妖色情片 particularly regarding advanced industries such as solar panels.
Unfortunately, the administration halted tariffs on imported solar panels in 2022 人妖色情片 even though Chinese solar manufacturers illegally route solar panels through Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. As a result, China is flooding the U.S. solar market 人妖色情片 and putting America人妖色情片檚 solar manufacturers at risk.
The solar case is a prime example of what Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sees as Chinese overproduction that 人妖色情片渄istorts global prices and production patterns and hurts American firms and workers.人妖色情片 In response, Yellen thinks tariffs on Chinese goods are needed and won人妖色情片檛 raise consumer prices meaningfully.
National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard agrees, saying tariffs are necessary to avoid a 人妖色情片淐hina Shock 2.0.人妖色情片
A Coalition for a Prosperous America study found that recent tariffs have strengthened the U.S. economy and 人妖色情片渓ed to significant reshoring in certain industries.人妖色情片 Similarly, a U.S. International Trade Commission report noted that tariffs have reduced imports from China and effectively stimulated U.S. production without affecting consumer prices.
What does all of this mean for Harris? America人妖色情片檚 domestic manufacturers and workers certainly hope she agrees with Biden and Yellen 人妖色情片 that tariffs are needed. However, she人妖色情片檒l likely face opposition from Wall Street.
However, Harris would be wise to ignore Wall Street人妖色情片檚 calls for more offshoring. The vice president has repeatedly called for an 人妖色情片渙pportunity economy人妖色情片 人妖色情片 something best supported by a robust domestic manufacturing sector that creates high-paying jobs and new technologies.
To craft a pro-America trade and economic agenda, Harris should pledge to increase overall tariffs, use tax credits more broadly to grow critical production, and ignore Wall Street人妖色情片檚 call to return to the failed trade policies of the past.
Michael Stumo is the CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. He wrote this column for .
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