President Biden is making a strong push in Pennsylvania today, advocating for a threefold increase in tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum imports while also standing up for the U.S. steel and aluminum industry.
Speaking from the U.S. Steelworkers headquarters in Pittsburgh, the president, who hails from Pennsylvania, is calling on U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to explore raising the current 7.5% tariff rate on Chinese steel and aluminum imports. The White House asserts that American workers are facing "unfair competition" from Chinese imports, with high-quality U.S. products being undermined by Chinese alternatives that are priced artificially low and come with higher emissions.
In addition to proposing higher tariffs, the Biden administration is actively investigating instances of dumping by countries flooding markets with Chinese steel. Collaborative efforts with Mexico are underway to prevent Chinese companies from circumventing tariffs by routing steel through Mexico first. Tai is also initiating an inquiry into China's operations within the maritime, shipbuilding, and logistics sectors, according to the White House.
This announcement coincides with the impending sale of U.S. Steel to the Japanese-owned Nippon Steel, a move that the president vehemently opposes.
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During his three-day tour through Scranton, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, the president's campaign is launching a six-figure, five-day ad blitz to showcase Mr. Biden's pro-labor positions. Pennsylvania, a battleground state in November, sees former President Donald Trump and Mr. Biden in a tight race according to polls.
"Scranton values or Mar-a-Lago values," Mr. Biden stated in a speech in Scranton on Tuesday, making a reference to Trump's luxurious Florida resort. "These are the competing visions for our economy, and they raise questions of fundamental fairness at the heart of his campaign."
