US trade complaint at WTO against China for imposing duties on car exports
United States launched a trade complaint Thursday against China at the World Trade Organization, accusing Beijing of unfairly imposing duties on more than 3 billion dollars in exports of US-manufactured automobiles.
The announcement came as President Barack Obama hit the “Betting on America” campaign trail in the highly industrialized states of Pennsylvania and Ohio where automakers have been affected by the tariffs imposed in December. It underscored how the US trade relations with rising economic power China could color the political debate ahead of the November presidential election.
WTO rules, countries are allowed to impose punitive tariffs to offset damage from both subsidies and dumping — selling products at below market value — but the US contends that in this and other cases, China has used those remedy measures in an unfair and retaliatory way to hurt US exporters.
Last month, the US successfully challenged Chinese tariffs imposed on high-technology steel products and has also disputed tariffs levied on chicken products.
White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters Thursday that the Chinese duties cover more than 80% of US auto exports to China and fall disproportionately on General Motors and Chrysler because of the actions Obama took to support the auto industry during the financial crisis.
Some critics have contended that the administration’s bailout of the auto sector — which has seen it return to profitability even as the wider economic recovery has stuttered — could leave US products vulnerable to countervailing duties by international competitors claiming it amounted to an unfair subsidy.
Polls show that linking the Republican candidate Mitt Romney to the outsourcing of US jobs when he was at Boston-based Bain Capital LLC, which he co-founded, is an effective approach with voters in the swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
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US produces 8 millions units vehicles /year (2.8 millions cars)
China produces 18 millions vehicles /year.(14 millions cars )
More importantly, is this the run up to the Opium Wars III?
Havent you seen the Chevy Camaro outside the US? Last time I heard, people in SA were paying luxury prices for Ford Mustangs and Camaros....what a rip off...
I had both of them. New Mustangs are not as bad in gas....I had a 2012 V6 4.0 and it would give out 30 mpg...also a 2011 Camaro V6 and it would give 28 mpg...also V6.... Not bad considering that my family sedan is giving me 31/31 mpg with half the horsepower.....(190).
***Buy American***
Where do you live .. in Cuba ?..in Venezuela ?
@AmericanLight
You are correct. Those camaros are sold down here at rip off prices.
Wrong! Ford who received “indirectly” a bailout, produce majority of it's cars for the US consumers in Mexico.
A made in US ford? From what year huh?
2012 F150 : Kansas and Michigan
2012 Ford Taurus: Illionois
2012 Ford Mustang: Flat Rock Michigan
2012 Ford Focus: Michigan
& 10
Ford's US units domestic production level is rare ( ~ 80.000/year)
but they produce ~ 300.000 /year under the other brands.
& 2
You may find least number of all brands sporadically in every country
we talk about permanent high volume markets..
Almost every Ford, Lincoln or Mercury you can buy from a dealership in the US is manufactured in North America. A few (Fusion/Milan/MKZ) in Hermosillo, Mexico; a few (Edge/MKX) in Oakville, Ontario, Canada; a few (Crown Vic/Grand Marquis/Town Car) in St Thomas, Ontario, Canada; and the rest in the US, including Kansas City (F-150/Escape/Mariner/Tribute), Lousiville (Explorer/SportTrac/SuperDuty), Dearborn (F-150/MarkLT), Wayne (Focus/Expedition/Navigator), Chicago (Taurus/TaurusX/Sable), Ohio (Econoline), Flat Rock (Mustang/Mazda6), Twin Cities (Ranger).
Just some figures from 2011: Units sold for 10 best vehicles in the US
1. Ford F-150
Numbers of units sold: 390,661 (This number only goes over the 80,000 mentioned before and we are talking about the F Series only and goes above the 300,000)
Production:Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan United States
2. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Numbers of units sold: 319,539
Assembly Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Flint, Michigan, United States
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Pontiac, Michigan, United States
Silao, Mexico
3. Toyota Camry Assembled in Texas
Numbers of units sold: 308,510
4. Nissan Altima
Numbers of units sold: 268,981
ssembly Smyrna, Tennessee, USA
Canton, Mississippi, USA
Aguascalientes, Mexico
5. Ford Escape
Numbers of units sold: 254,293
Assembly Claycomo, Missouri, United States
6. Ford Fusion
Numbers of units sold: 248,067
Production Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
7. Toyota Corolla
Numbers of units sold: 240,259
Production United States
8. Honda Accord
Numbers of units sold: 235,625
Production: Ohio, United States
9. Chevrolet Cruze
Numbers of units sold: 231,732
Production Lordstown, Ohio United States
10. Hyundai Sonata
Numbers of units sold: 225,961
Production Montgomery Alabama
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