China once again expresses opposition to the US 301 investigation

According to the Ministry of Commerce on the 16th, China and the United States are currently holding a new round of economic and trade consultations in Paris, France. Regarding the new round of 301 investigations initiated by the United States on the grounds of "forced labor", China has made representations to the United States. On the 16th, Li Chenggang, the International Trade Negotiator and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of China, said that in the past day and a half, the teams of China and the United States have conducted in-depth, candid, and constructive consultations. Through this consultation, both sides have reached preliminary consensus on some issues, and we will continue to maintain the consultation process in the next step.

Previously, the Office of the United States Trade Representative launched 301 investigations against 60 economies, including Chinese Mainland, on the ground that the import of forced labor products was not prohibited. This is another consecutive 301 investigation launched by the United States on the grounds of "overcapacity" on the 11th of this month. In the face of the continuous introduction and implementation of unilateral trade protection measures by the United States, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce stated on the 16th: "We urge the United States to immediately correct its erroneous practices, move towards the same direction as China, adhere to the principles of mutual respect and equal consultation, and find solutions to problems through dialogue and consultation." The spokesperson emphasized that China will closely monitor the progress of the US investigation, reserve the right to take all necessary measures, and resolutely defend its legitimate rights and interests.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce stated on the 16th that China has always opposed forced labor and is one of the founding members of the International Labour Organization. It has ratified 28 international labour conventions, established a sound system of labour laws and regulations, and resolutely prevented and cracked down on forced labour. In contrast, the United States has yet to ratify the 1930 Forced Labor Convention, refusing to be bound by international rules, but has long manipulated the issue of "forced labor". The spokesperson said that the US launched a 301 investigation against China and related economies in an attempt to build trade barriers, which is highly unilateral, arbitrary, and discriminatory, and is a typical act of protectionism. The World Trade Organization expert group has already ruled that the US's 301 tariff measures against China violate WTO rules. The US has once again abused the 301 investigation procedure, placing domestic laws above international rules. This is a mix of mistakes, seriously undermining the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains, and seriously disrupting the international economic and trade order.

In February of this year, after the so-called "equivalent tariffs" were ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court, the US government immediately announced the temporary imposition of a 10% global tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, but the tariff measures under this provision are only effective for 150 days. The United States has launched an urgent 301 investigation into major global trading partners, which is widely seen as a replacement for previous tariff measures. The Minister of Trade Negotiations at the South Korean Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Roh Han kyu, said, "I understand that the core goal of the US is to bring tariffs back to the level before the Supreme Court's ruling." The US Consumer News and Business Channel stated that the wide coverage of the investigation has raised questions from trade experts about its feasibility and reasonableness. Elms, the head of trade policy at the Xinrich Foundation, stated that the current timeline given is "unrealistic" considering the wide range of the surveyed areas.

On the 16th, Wang Huiyao, Chairman of the Global Think Tank (CCG), told Global Times reporters that the Office of the United States Trade Representative hastily launched two 301 investigations and was eager to obtain the investigation results, with a clear intention of politicizing and instrumentalizing economic issues. Wang Huiyao believes that the US government has previously used the 301 tariff measures, and its protectionist measures have not stopped the trend of economic globalization and global division of labor in industries. The US government simply cannot achieve its goals.

Wang Huiyao said that China and the United States should focus more on resolving each other's important concerns through consultations, continuously promote cooperation, inject more stability and certainty into global development, and benefit the people of both countries and the world.