Hundreds of representatives of companies and trade groups are warning President Donald Trump that carrying out his plan to impose tariffs on $300 billion more in Chinese imports will hurt consumers’ pocketbooks, hamper business growth and fail to achieve the president’s objectives.
“It’ll be the straw that breaks the camel‘s back for a lot of our companies," said Karen Giberson, president and CEO of the Accessories Council, an industry group whose members include fashion designers, jewelry importers and the upscale retailer Bloomingdale's.
The howls of opposition coming from retailers like Best Buy, streaming box company Roku, child-products company Baby Trend and other big and small businesses weakens Trump’s hand as he prepares for a possible showdown with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G-20 leaders meeting in Osaka, Japan on June 28-29.
More than 300 witnesses are expected to testify over the next seven days, with representatives from sectors that include semiconductors, energy, plumbing, software, home appliances, sports equipment, boat manufacturing, chemical firms, pet supplies, bicycles and fireworks.
Mark Schneider, CEO of the clothing line Kenneth Cole Productions, told administration officials at a hearing in Washington that he has tried finding alternative sources of supply, such as Mexico, for the company's shoes and other products. But Trump's unpredictable trade policy — such as a recent threat to slap tariffs on Mexico over migration issues — has made it hard to know where to make sourcing decisions.
“I started looking in Mexico, but I got scared off,” Schneider said Monday. “Some sort of stability with this type of discussion would be really helpful. There’s no preparation for anything.“
Businesses have also tried to lobby members of Congress and the administration directly against the imposition of more duties. Their best hope is to persuade U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to leave their industries’ items off the broad list of products that will face duties of up to 25 percent.
If that fails, they could still have the chance to petition Lighthizer's office for a one-year exclusion from the duties. But companies complain that process is already slow and cumbersome.
Apple Inc., one of the biggest importers from China, did not ask to testify in person, but is expected to file comments before the deadline closes on Monday. Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump last week at the White House and has publicly warned that tariffs on cellphones and other electronics from China would hurt the United States.
*冀推動半島問題解決進程新進展*
今年為中朝建交70周年,中國最高領導人時隔14年後再次訪問北韓,順理成章又耐人尋味。去年曾帶隊中央芭蕾舞團到訪平壤的中聯部部長宋濤周一於吹風會透露,習近平與金正恩將就半島形勢進一步交換意見,推動半島問題政治解決進程取得新進展。
位於首爾、有逾百年歷史的梨花女子大學教授Leif-EricEasley就指,如果習近平能夠利用今次出訪,爭取到恩恩作出新的無核化承諾,將可能給中美及平壤首爾之間的外交活動打開局面。
而約翰.霍普金斯大學駐首爾研究員DarcieDraudt則稱,習近平到訪標誌著北韓的「大轉身」,從華盛頓的視角看,平壤和北京走得愈近,侵侵未來就愈難對恩恩施展獨特的一對一「個性政治」。
事實上,北韓一直是中美難得的共同關注,就在上月4日,平壤進行18個月以來首次恢復飛彈試射,「打臉」一直將恢復半島局勢平靜為一大政績的侵侵。若習近平北韓之行能讓侵侵相信,北京對平壤的影響力能夠推動半島無核化進程,從而令北韓不再成為區域的不穩定因素,勢增習特會槓桿。
*若單月減持突增,足掀美股動盪*
除了「北韓牌」,中國連續兩個月減持美債亦正引起愈來愈多的關注。據美國財政部公布,中國4月減持了75億美元美債,持有量降至1﹒11萬億美元的兩年最低。
儘管「拋售美債」仍被主流意見相信僅是北京「最後的武器」,但若觀察中國、俄羅斯合計持有的美債數量已降至2010年6月以來最低,而兩國的黃金儲備總量則自去年9月以來節節攀升;除了中國,美債前十大持有者另有其餘8家都錄減持,外國持有者4月總計減持美債達401億美元。
較早前,美國財政部並公布,5月預算赤字錄按年大增41%至2080億美元,令聯邦財政預算赤字進一步逼近1萬億美元的紀錄新高。
即使北京現時難如同俄羅斯一樣持續大幅拋售美債,但其只要令交易員懷疑,中國隨時可以大幅提高月度減持額,都足以迅速溢出對美債和美元資產價值擔憂,並導致美國甚至全球金融市場動盪。
北京的「北韓」、「美債」兩大槓桿能否於下周G20顯效,侵侵會否真的如商務部長羅斯所指,「非常樂意(perfectlyhappy)對中國加徵更多關稅」,料快揭曉。
(經濟通通訊社俞瑾)