During a speech to union members in Pennsylvania, President Joe Biden declared his support for American steelworkers and announced plans to triple tariffs on Chinese metals _ steel and aluminum imports.
He emphasized the unfair advantage Chinese steel companies have due to heavy government subsidies, framing it as cheating rather than fair competition.
Biden, who narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2020 and has prioritized the state in his campaign efforts, reiterated his commitment to protecting American industries by preventing foreign takeovers of iconic companies like US Steel.
Despite tensions with Beijing over trade and other issues, Biden emphasized that he does not seek a trade war with China.
His remarks coincided with discussions between Chinese and American defense officials aimed at fostering greater trust between the two nations.
Meanwhile, Biden and his election rival Trump held starkly different views on issues such as taxation and abortion, Biden’s trade agenda has taken on elements reminiscent of Trump’s “America First” policies.
However, unlike Trump, Biden has prioritized substantial investments in infrastructure and green initiatives since assuming office, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing and revive industries like steel production within the United States.
The Biden administration perceives China’s trade practices as a significant obstacle to achieving these goals. With China dominating approximately half of global steel production and consistently undercutting US steel prices in exports, a senior US official highlighted the challenge to reporters.
In response, the US Trade Representative announced an investigation into China’s activities within the shipbuilding, maritime, and logistics sectors.
Beijing swiftly condemned the probe, labeling it as baseless and accusing the US of misrepresenting standard trade and investment activities as threats to national security and corporate interests.
China’s commerce industry characterized the investigation as an attempt to shift blame for America’s industrial challenges onto China.
These trade tensions unfold against a broader backdrop of strained relations between the world’s largest economies. While the United States has identified China as its primary competitor for the foreseeable future, Biden’s approach has been to navigate these tensions while pursuing American interests.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
