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Former trade official calls for comprehensive enforcement agenda for China

A former trade official is calling on Congress to employ a comprehensive trade enforcement agenda with China.

Jeffrey Gerrish served as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative during President Trump’s first term and told a U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee Tuesday Chinese ambitions pose an existential threat to the United States.

“Failing to address China’s economic aggression will bring enormous long-term costs in the continued offshoring of jobs and industries, the loss of our technological and military superiority, and economic dependence on China.”

Gerrish accused China of using a range of unfair and market-distorting trade policies and practices.

“Including huge subsidies, forced labor, forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and currency manipulation, to achieve its objective of dominating important sectors of the global economy.”

He says the U.S. Trade Representative will be conducting a review of the Phase One trade agreement with China and swift action should be taken if the USTR identifies violations.