Demanding an even playing field for U.S. auto parts industry

For too long, the Chinese government’s unfair trade practices have hurt American businesses. In particular, their deception and manipulation are costing us countless jobs and productivity in the U.S. auto parts industry. The Chinese are using every tool at their disposal to give their own auto parts companies a leg up, from limiting our exports to their market to subsidizing their exports to us. They even block the export of key raw materials needed for the production of some auto parts elsewhere around the world.

Though China agreed to end its export subsidies when it joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, it still shows no signs of changing its ways. In March, I joined a bipartisan coalition asking that President Obama to act immediately to stop these unfair practices. Earlier this week, the administration requested dispute settlement consultations with Chinese government at the World Trade Organization.

The auto manufacturing industry directly employs nearly 800,000 hard-working Americans, about half of which work in auto parts manufacturing. These numbers don’t even include jobs in related industries like steel, aluminum, plastics and electronics. We must demand that China play by the same rules as everyone else if we want to protect these jobs for generations to come.