Congressman Tim Ryan Partners with Senator Rubio and Congressman Conaway to Crack Down on Abusive Chinese Trade Practices

Press Release

Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) partnered with Congressman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Senator Rubio (R-FL) to introduce the Fair Trade With China Enforcement Act. This legislation takes sweeping steps to safeguard American economic and national security interests against abusive Chinese trade practices by specifically safeguarding American assets from Chinese influence and possession.

"Our imbalanced trading relationship with China raises significant national and economic security concerns for the United States that we should be taking seriously. Congress has an obligation to fight for a level playing field with China that protects our own workers, intellectual property, and manufacturing base. We must act to stop abusive Chinese trade practices immediately, and then put into place a long-term strategic plan to strengthen the United States' position in the globe. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Marco Rubio and Congressman Conaway to check China's economic abuses that undercut our economic viability and national security," said Congressman Ryan.

"China has taken advantage of our trading relationship, becoming increasingly aggressive with illegal trade practices in an attempt to specifically undermine and drive American companies out of business," said Congressman Conaway. "This presents significant national security and economic risks to the United States. President Trump has made strides towards improving our trading position with China, and the Fair Trade with China Enforcement Act will build on those efforts to ensure that America's own best interests are protected from Chinese aggression. This legislation prohibits the sale of national security sensitive U.S. intellectual property and technology to China, and protects the U.S. from China's attempts to weaken the U.S. economy. Chinese commercial technology is a proven vehicle for the Chinese government to spy on the U.S. government, and this bill includes my legislation to prohibit the federal government from purchasing or leasing Huawei or ZTE products or services. In today's changing global environment, American national security and economic interests must come first. I'm proud to introduce this legislation with Congressman Ryan to do just that."

This bill is the companion legislation to S. 2826, introduced by Senator Rubio.

"Re-balancing America's relationship with China is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Without strong, consistent, and strategic action to assert our national interests, China threatens to supplant the United States to undermine our security and prosperity," said Senator Rubio. "The Fair Trade with China Enforcement Act targets China's tools of economic aggression to make clear the United States will stand up for its workers on the international stage. I welcome Rep. Conaway and Rep. Ryan's leadership in the House of Representatives on this critical issue."

Specifically, the Fair Trade with China Enforcement Act would:

Prohibit the sale of national security sensitive technology and intellectual property to China.
Increase taxes on multinational corporations' income earned in China at a rate similar to the lost value of stolen IP and technology.
Cancel an income tax treaty signed in the 1980s and tax China on their "investment" in the U.S., including their holdings of the national debt.
Prepare duties on, and impose Chinese investor shareholding caps on U.S. companies producing, goods targeted by the Made in China 2025 plan.
Prohibit the federal government, or subsidiaries/contractors, from purchasing telecommunications equipment or services from Huawei and ZTE.
Congressman Tim Ryan has been fighting illegal and unfair Chinese trade practices for his entire Congressional career. He has been leading the fight to reform trade deals so that US workers are not at a disadvantage. This includes leading the charge to hold China accountable for currency manipulation. The Currency Reform For Fair Trade Act, which was introduced alongside Representatives Sander Levin (D-MI), and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) in April of last year takes aim at currency manipulators by enabling the Department of Commerce to impose countervailing duties to offset the impact of currency manipulation on a U.S. industry.

An earlier version of this legislation which was introduced in 2010 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 348-79 on September 29, 2010.

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