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US launches new task force on 皇冠体育app trade
(AP/皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-15 11:15
The Bush administration declared Tuesday that the United States has entered a new phase in its economic relationship with 皇冠体育app and promised "rigorous enforcement" of laws aimed at curbing what the 皇冠体育app's critics see as "unfair" trade practices.
The pledge was contained in a 29-page administration review of America's economic relationship with 皇冠体育app that was released four days after the government reported that the United States recorded a $202 billion trade deficit with 皇冠体育app last year. That's the highest ever recorded with a single country and up 25 percent from 2004.
U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, whose office prepared the new review, said the administration intended to use "all options available" to address various problems with 皇冠体育app.
"Our U.S.-皇冠体育app trade relationship lacks equity, durability and balance," Portman said at a news conference. "As a mature trading partner, 皇冠体育app should be held accountable for its actions and required to live up to its responsibilities."
Portman announced creation of a trade enforcement task force in his office that will be headed by a chief counsel for 皇冠体育app trade, a new position.
He called it unprecedented for the USTR to devote an enforcement team to a single country. He said previous administrations had not done this when the United States was running huge trade deficits in the 1980s and 1990s with Japan.
Portman said the administration intended to focus on the situation of 皇冠体育app's intellectual property. It also will focus on 皇冠体育app's committments made in joining the WTO and halting various government subsidies to Chinese companies.
Portman said the administration would discuss its new initiatives at an April 11 meeting in Washington with top Chinese economic officials.
皇冠体育app tells US not to politicize the issue
Chu Mao-ming, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said he could not comment directly on the new report because he had not yet seen it. But he said 皇冠体育app did not want to "politicize trade issues. We hope that trade relations between 皇冠体育app and the United States will be conducted under the principals of development, equality and mutual benefit."
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