WASHINGTON, DC—As the Obama administration prepares for the sixth Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) with China to be held in Washington, D.C. on July 27-28, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today released the following China SED Index and statement on stronger trade enforcement measures. 

“When it comes to our trade policy with China, the numbers speak for themselves. We can no longer afford talk without action. Unfair Chinese subsidies and flagrant currency manipulation have had a profound effect on manufacturers and resulted in lost U.S. jobs and a ballooning trade deficit. Unsafe Chinese imports have put our children and food supply at risk.

“I believe we need a multi-pronged approach to address China’s currency manipulation. I support legislation that allows the use of our trade laws to offset the unfair subsidy from China’s undervalued currency. I also encourage the administration to seek exchange rate adjustments through consultation and negotiation. 

“It’s time for actions that benefit American workers and businesses and that protect consumers. It’s time for the administration to support the ‘Section 421’ case on certain Chinese tire imports and target China’s unfair subsidies using our anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws.

“Given the continuing problems with food safety in China, I also encourage the Obama administration to hold firm on banning imports of chicken processed in China until it reports to Congress on the equivalency of the Chinese food safety system.

“Some people believe that actively enforcing trade rules is protectionism.  I believe that not enforcing those rules is defeatism. If our nation’s leaders stand down as China stacks the deck against American business, the downward trade spiral will continue.

Ohio workers and business expect their government to do what it was hired to do – that means it should negotiate reasonable trade rules, then enforce them.  Our nation can’t afford any less.”

Brown is a leading proponent of fair trade. He is the author of the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment (TRADE) Act, a first of its kind pro-trade bill that would revamp U.S. trade policy. The bill would mandate trade pact reviews, establish new standards, protect workers in developing nations, and help restore Congressional oversight of future trade agreements.

A copy of Brown’s China SED Index follows.