An exclusive report by the American Wall Street Journal stated that nearly 30 of the country's most influential business groups - representing retailers, chip makers, farmers and others - called on President Joe Biden's administration to resume negotiations with China and reduce tariffs. on imports, saying they are a burden on the US economy.
Tariffs on Chinese electronics, clothing and other goods, which are paid by US importers, have been kept in part to ensure that China fulfills its obligations under the first phase of the 2020 trade deal with the United States.
In a letter - Thursday - to US Trade Representative Catherine Taye and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, business groups emphasized that Beijing had fulfilled "important criteria and obligations" in the agreement, including opening markets to US financial institutions and reducing some regulatory barriers to US agricultural exports. to China.
The trade groups include some of the most influential major business associations in Washington, including the American Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, the National Retail Federation, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Semiconductor Industry Association.
She added that vitriolic criticism from trade groups reflects growing frustration on the part of a group of US companies at the pace of the administration's review of China's trade and economic policy.
The administration has given few hints about whether it intends to try to enforce the first phase of the trade deal negotiated by the Trump administration or seek to extend it.
The trade groups include some of the most influential major business associations in Washington, including the American Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, the National Retail Federation, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and the Semiconductor Industry Association
For their part, Chinese officials have told American businessmen that they will not act on trade issues until the administration makes it clear it accepts a phase one deal.
Administration officials said the review is expected to continue until later in the fall.
The newspaper reported that the US administration also did not indicate whether it intended to maintain tariffs on Chinese goods, which now amount to duties on about half of what the United States imports from China.
The trade groups indirectly acknowledged that "there is more work to be done by both governments to ensure that China honors existing purchase agreements".
But she argued that the USTR should also begin negotiating issues not addressed in the first phase of the agreement, including government subsidies, government procurement, cybersecurity and digital commerce.
In addition, the groups are urging the US Trade Representative's office to grant companies exemptions from some tariffs and begin the process of lowering tariffs on Chinese goods in general.