USTR to investigate Vietnam’s trade policies, practices
USTR will perform the investigation below Part 301 of the 1974 Trade Act. USTR will consult the department of treasury on the issues of forex valuation and exchange charge coverage, the agency explained in a assertion.
USTR Robert E Lighthizer explained, “President Trump is firmly dedicated to combatting unfair trade techniques that harm America’s personnel, firms, farmers, and ranchers. Using unlawful timber in wood products exported to the US industry harms the environment and is unfair to US personnel and firms who abide by the principles by working with lawfully harvested timber. In addition, unfair forex techniques can harm US personnel and firms that contend with Vietnamese products that might be artificially reduced-priced since of forex undervaluation. We will carefully evaluation the benefits of the investigation and establish what, if any, steps it might be suitable to take.”
The American Clothing & Footwear Affiliation (AAFA) expressed its disappointment with the announcement , expressing launching a Part 301 investigation on Vietnam could pave the way for imposition of new punitive responsibilities on US imports from the state.
Citing the adverse influence of the administration’s tariffs on imports as a consequence of other Part 301 investigations, the association, in a assertion, urged the govt to refrain from sowing even more offer chain disruption for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not the time to impose new fees on U.S. offer chains, especially on individuals occupation creators who are continue to recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, new punitive tariffs could make it even more difficult to resource the own protective tools that our communities have to have to properly regrow the economy,” explained AAFA president Steve Lamar.
Nonetheless, The Countrywide Council of Textile Organisations (NCTO) welcomed the announcement of the launch of a Part 301 investigation into the forex valuation techniques of Vietnam.
“NCTO strongly opposes foreign governments undervaluing their currencies, which places US companies at a drawback by inflating the expense of US exports and deflating the expense of US imports. This unfair trade practice displaces US manufacturing and positions, as nicely as individuals of our Western Hemisphere trade associates employing US textile inputs,” explained NCTO president and chief executive officer Kim Glas in a assertion.
“The US-Vietnam investing marriage suffers from numerous of the similar troubles that we have experienced with China. There are potent indications of a purposefully undervalued forex that warrants a whole investigation. Further, the industries in the two nations are inextricably joined, as Vietnam sources substantially of its textile inputs from China,” Glas included.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
At the direction of President Donald Trump, the Business office of the US Trade Agent has initiated an investigation addressing Vietnam’s functions, guidelines and techniques relevant to the import and use of timber that is illegally harvested or traded and individuals that might lead to the undervaluation of its forex and the resultant harm triggered to US commerce.