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Bush Rejects Proposed Import Curbs on Chinese Steel Pipe
By Office of the Press Secretary
Bush Rejects Proposed Import Curbs on Chinese Steel PipeSays tariff or tariff-rate quotas not in United States' economic interest
President Bush has decided against imposing safeguard curbs on imports of circular welded nonalloy from China on the grounds that providing relief to the U.S. industry -- as recommended by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) -- would do more harm than good to the U.S. economy.
In a December 30 memorandum to the secretary of commerce, secretary of labor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Bush said that imposing either of the USITC's recommended remedies -- quota or tariff-rate quota – allowed under Section 421 of U.S. trade law would be "ineffective."
The section was added by the U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000, which implemented the bilateral agreement relating to China's accession to the World Trade Organization.
He said that imports from more than 40 other countries currently exporting to the U.S. market likely would replace curtailed Chinese imports, and that import relief would cost U.S. consumers "substantially" more than the increased income that could be realized by domestic producers.
Under provisions of Section 421, U.S. producers can receive import relief if the USITC finds that Chinese products are being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such conditions as to cause, or threaten to cause, market disruption to the domestic producers of similar or directly competitive products. Market disruption is defined as a rapid increase in imports that is a significant cause of injury, or threat of injury, to a domestic industry.
In response to a complaint filed by a U.S. producer, the USITC investigated and announced in October its split determination that Chinese exports of certain circular welded nonalloy were causing market disruptions for U.S. producers. (See related article.)
Later in October, two USITC commissioners recommended that the president impose a three-year import quota of up to 160,000 tons on the subject imports and three commissioners recommended tariffs of up to 25 percent on imports exceeding 267,468 tons in the first year, with this quota level increasing by 5 percent in the second year and 10 percent in the third.
In November, groups of more than 80 legislators from both chambers wrote letters
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to Bush urging him to grant relief to domestic producers by imposing a quota of 90,000 tons.
Circular welded nonalloy is used in plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems and in the construction of buildings and other objects.
For more on U.S. policy, see the United States and China and a Washington File series on U.S.-China trade and economic ties.
Following is the text of the president's memorandum:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Crawford, Texas)
December 30, 2005
Presidential Determination
No. 2006-7
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THE SECRETARY OF LABOR
THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
SUBJECT: Presidential Determination on Imports of Circular Welded Non-Alloy from the People's Republic of China
Pursuant to section 421 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2451), I have determined the action I will take with respect to the affirmative determination of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) regarding imports of circular welded non-alloy (steel pipe) from China (Investigation No. TA-421-6). After considering all relevant aspects of the investigation, I have determined that providing import relief for the U.S. industry is not in the national economic interest of the United States. In particular, I find that the import relief would have an adverse impact on the United States economy clearly greater than the benefits of such action.
The facts of this case indicate that any import relief, including either of the USITC's proposed remedies, is likely to be ineffective because of the extent to which imports from third countries would likely replace curtailed Chinese imports. A large number of third countries -- the USITC documents more than 50 of them -- supply the U.S. market with steel pipe. Although antidumping duties currently apply to imports from eight of those countries, there are many other countries currently supplying to the U.S. market that could fill the void created by curtailed Chinese imports. Under these circumstances, import relief would likely not provide a meaningful benefit to domestic producers.
In addition, imposing import relief would cost U.S. consumers substantially more than the increased income that could be realized by domestic producers. According to USITC estimates, the USITC's recommended quota remedy would generate costs for U.S. consumers five times greater than the additional income that could be realized by domestic producers. Under the USITC's recommended tariff-rate quota remedy, the costs would be four times greater than the income generated by domestic producers.
While the particular circumstances of this case make clear that the U.S. national economic interest would not be served by the imposition of import relief under section 421, I remain fully committed to exercising the important authority granted to me under section 421 when the circumstances of a particular case warrant it.
I hereby direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Labor to expedite consideration of any Trade Adjustment Assistance applications received from domestic producers or their workers, consistent with their statutory mandates.
The United States Trade Representative is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Created: 30 Dec 2005 Updated: 30 Dec 2005
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Crawford, Texas)
December 30, 2005
Presidential Determination
No. 2006-7
http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive/2006/Jan/01-257115.html |