Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Staff report
NILES
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Sherrod Brown met with United Steelworkers union officials again Monday, this time at the steelworkers union hall here, to talk about a letter he’s sending to President Donald Trump about U.S.-China trade relations.
“My letter I sent today says very specifically what we need to do to stand up to China,” Brown said during a media event after the discussions.
The letter says nine of the 10 biggest Chinese steel companies are owned by the Chinese government.
The letter will demand that China eliminate excess steel capacity.
“These state-supported factories overproduce and flood the global market with cheap Chinese steel, driving down steel prices which puts Ohio steel mills out of business and Ohio steel workers out of jobs,” Brown said.
The letter also will insist that Ohio priorities be included in the Trump administration’s 100-day plan on trade with China.
“China cheats and they win; we play by the rules and we lose. That has to stop,” Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland said. “China can no longer get away with cheating. Any successful plan must put a stop to Chinese steel dumping that is putting Ohio steel mills out of business and Ohio steel workers out of jobs.”
Brown also met with steelworkers union officials at the Warren steelworker hall April 24.