Brown seeks action to apply tariffs to China

Staff report

WASHINGTON

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown on Wednesday called for Congress to act on two pieces of legislation pertaining to China.

Brown, a Democrat from Avon, plans to introduce a bill that would allow the U.S. Commerce Department to legally apply tariffs and other countervailing duties to Chinese imports that benefit from illegal export subsidies.

Earlier this week, a federal appellate court ruled the Commerce Department cannot apply countervailing duties against products from China, which the court deems to be a “nonmarket economy.”

Brown said that decision will hurt many Ohio manufacturers, including more than a half-dozen in the Mahoning Valley.

Those companies include V&M Star, Extrudex Aluminum, Astro Shapes, General Extrusions Inc., Aerolite Extrusion Co., Star Extruded Shapes, BRT Extrusions, Wheatland Tube and Pennex Aluminum.

Brown said without those duties, companies can manufacture products overseas — instead of the U.S. — creating what he calls unfair competition between the two nations.

“China promised to follow the law. We know it hasn’t worked out that way,” Brown said. “The trade deficit has expanded since 2001.”

Brown also called on the House of Representatives to pass his Currency Exchange and Oversight Reform Act., which cracks down on Chinese currency manipulation.

The Senate passed that legislation earlier this year.