Ryan sends protests to officials on China trade

STAFF report

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AUSTINTOWN

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is urging members of President Barack Obama administration to address China’s “unfairly [subsidizing] its exports.”

Ryan of Niles, D-17th, co-wrote a letter Monday with U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, a Democrat from Maine, to Timothy Geithner, secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury, and Gary Locke, secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, about the issue.

“China continues to flout international trade laws by manipulating its currency value to increase its trade advantages,” Ryan said. “This is completely unacceptable. All that our people are asking for is a level playing field. Local manufacturing firms like GE Lighting, Severstal Steel, V&M Star, Wheatland Tube and Backyard Buddies are doing everything in their power to stay afloat during a difficult economy while China continues to break the rules at every turn. I am fighting – and will continue to fight – on their behalf, forcing China to play fair and discontinue these illegal trade practices.”