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| Source: Global Times/Liu Rui |
By He Jingjun
BEIJING, March 19 -- U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk delivered a speech at the National Press Club recently, announcing that troublesome foreign "trade barriers" would soon be exposed in a new report. Such a statement, in accordance with President Barack Obama's recent plan of "doubling U.S. exports," seem to be clearing up unfair trade obstacles for U.S. exports.
But the U.S. seems to be determined to throw up its own domestic trade barriers even as it uses its economic clout to force others to open their markets. The "buy American" provision of the stimulus package has prompted the withdrawal of Airbus maker European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company from competing for the $35 billion contract to build new refueling tanker planes for the U.S. Air Force.
Meanwhile, generous subsidies given to U.S. cotton growers, to take only one example, force others out of the market and have caused countries like Brazil to suffer from huge losses.
Mexico, one of the U.S. partners within the North American Free Trade Area, recently adopted retalitatory tariffs against the U.S. in response to the unbearable pressure exerted by the U.S. trade protectionism.
As for China, its second largest trade partner, the U.S. has applied further protectionist measures to steel tubes and firmware (the inbuilt programs on electronic devices), after launching trade sanctions on China's tires before Obama's visit to China last November.
