Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
December 22, 2022 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the Trade with China Strategic Assessment Act, legislation to establish a report about trade integration with the People’s Republic of China, using evidence-based and quantitative data to establish what the United States’ trade policy should be with China. It would require the Department of Commerce, in coordination with the United States Trade Representative (USTR), to regularly analyze granular import data in order for Congress and the administration to work strategically towards increasing or decreasing trade integration with China across different types of goods and services.
“We should let data, rather than emotion, drive our debate about trade with China,” said Senator Portman. “By requiring more regular analysis about the types of goods and services we import from China, we can make the strategic decisions necessary to rebalance our trade relationship in ways that are more beneficial to the United States.”
Specifically, the Trade with China Strategic Assessment Act requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the USTR, to submit a report to Congress every three years including the following:
(1) An assessment of the current level of economic integration between the United States and the People’s Republic of China in each priority sector.
(2) An assessment of how economic integration between the United States and the People’s Republic of China has changed, and is predicted to change, over time for each priority sector.
(3) An analysis of the extent to which each priority sector of the United States and the People’s Republic of China should, in the view of the Secretary, become more or less integrated during the 5-19 year period following submission of the report.
(4) Any recommendations for changes to United States trade law or policy to achieve the desired level of integration for each priority sector identified under paragraph (3).
(5) Any other information the Secretary considers appropriate.
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