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        Congressional Research Service





Enforcing Uthe  atvedebatse cin3   and China


Overview
Concerns over China's policies on intellectual property
(IP), technology, and innovation led the Trump
Administration in August 2017 to launch a Section 301
investigation of those policies. Consequently, the United
States has implemented three rounds of tariff increases on a
total of $250 billion worth of Chinese products, while
China has increased tariffs on $110 billion worth of U.S.
products. The Trump Administration has threatened to
increase tariffs on nearly all remaining imports from China.

What Is Section 301 and How Does It Work?
Sections 301 through 310 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended, are commonly referred to as Section 301. It is
one of the principal statutory means by which the United
States enforces U.S. rights under trade agreements and
addresses unfair foreign barriers to U.S. exports. Section
301 procedures apply to foreign acts, policies, and practices
that the USTR determines either (1) violate, or are
inconsistent with, a trade agreement; or (2) are unjustifiable
and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. The measure sets
procedures and timetables for actions based on the type of
trade barrier(s) addressed. Section 301 cases can be
initiated as a result of a petition filed by an interested party
with the USTR or initiated by the USTR. Once the USTR
begins a Section 301 investigation, it must seek a negotiated
settlement with the foreign country concerned, either
through compensation or an elimination of the particular
barrier or practice. For cases involving trade agreements,
such as those under the Uruguay Round (UR) agreements in
the World Trade Organization (WTO), the USTR is
required to use the formal dispute proceedings specified by
the agreement. For Section 301 cases (except those
involving a trade agreement or an IPR issue) the USTR has
12 to 18 months to seek a negotiated resolution. If one is
not obtained, the USTR determines whether or not to
retaliate (which usually takes the form of increased tariffs
on selected imports) at a level equivalent to the estimated
economic losses incurred by U.S. firms from the foreign
barrier or practice.
After the United States implemented the UR agreements
and joined the WTO in 1995, the USTR still sometimes
began Section 301 investigations but then brought the
issues at hand to the WTO for dispute resolution. After
2010, the USTR brought all trade disputes involving WTO
members directly to the WTO for adjudication. The Trump
Administration's use of Section 301, rather than solely
utilizing the WTO dispute settlement process to address the
issues of concern, is a departure from past U.S. practices.
New U.S. Section 301 Measures Against China
On March 22, 2018, President Trump signed a
Memorandum on Actions by the United States Related to
the Section 301 Investigation. Described by the White
House as a targeting of China's economic aggression, the


Updated May 23, 2019


memorandum identified four broad policies that justified
U.S. action against China under Section 301. It said China
*  uses joint venture requirements, foreign investment
   restrictions, and administrative review and licensing
   processes to force or pressure technology transfers from
   U.S. companies to a Chinese entity;
*  maintains unfair licensing practices that prevent U.S.
   firms from getting market-based returns for their IP;
*  directs and facilitates investments and acquisitions
   which generate large-scale technology and IP transfer to
   support China's industrial policy goals, such as the
   Made in China 2025 (MIC 2025) initiative; and
*  conducts and supports cyberintrusions into U.S.
   computer networks to gain access to valuable business
   information.
Subsequently, the Trump Administration increased tariffs
by 25% on three tranches of tariff products with combined
value of $250 billion worth of imports from China and has
threatened to boost tariffs on nearly all remaining products
from China (valued at $300 billion). China has increased
tariffs (at rates ranging from 5% to 25%) on $110 billion
worth imports from the United States (see table and figure).

Table I. U.S.-China Section 301 Tariff Action

                Ad
  Country    Valorem      Stated
  Imposing    Tariff     Imports     Tariff Actions and
  Tariff       Rates     Impacted          Dates
  U.S.       25%        $34 billion  Implemented
  Tranche I                          7/6/2018
  China      25%        $34 billion  Implemented
  Tranche I                          7/6/2018
  U.S.       25%        $16 billion  Implemented
  Tranche 2                          8/23/2018
  China      25%        $16 billion  Implemented
  Tranche 2                          8/23/2018
  U.S.       10%, then  $200 billion 10% hike effective
  Tranche 3  25%                     9/24/2018; raised to
                                     25% on 5/10/2019
 China       5% and     $60 billion  5% and 10% hikes on
 Tranche 3   1 0%, then              9/24/2018; increased
             10%, 20%,               to 10%, 20%, and
             and 25%                 25% on selective
                                     products, effective
                                     6/1/2019
 U.S.        25%        $300 billion Draft USTR notice
 proposed                            issued 5/13/19
 Tranche 4                           (action pending)
 Source: USTR and Chinese Ministry of Finance.


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