U.S. Trade Representative Discusses China Trade Boards and Tariff Options

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the United States and China have established a Board of Trade and a Board of Investment to manage economic relations between the two countries. Greer stated the boards will address non-sensitive goods such as agricultural products, energy, aircraft, and medical devices.

He said the new structures replace an ad hoc approach with a formalized process for discussing tariffs and non-tariff barriers.

Greer confirmed that an order for 200 Boeing aircraft is locked in. He said China has not purchased major quantities of Boeing planes in nearly ten years and that additional purchases could follow if initial deliveries succeed. The representative added that a fact sheet detailing expected increases in Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods will be released soon.

He noted China has already reduced some non-tariff barriers on products including beef and poultry.

Greer said the United States retains the ability to raise tariffs on China to levels set after the Busan meeting in October. He stated that current tariff rates were reduced by about ten percentage points following a Supreme Court ruling in February.

The representative said ongoing investigations under Section 301 authority could lead to new tariffs, fees, or quotas if they identify unfair trade practices or excess capacity. He declined to predict the outcome of those investigations, which are scheduled to conclude before July.