US trade official criticizes Beijing, faults Washington on industry

A senior U.S. trade official implicitly criticized China on Thursday for engaging in a range of unfair trade practices that have harmed American industries. Without naming Beijing, William Kimmitt, the U.S. under secretary of commerce for international trade, detailed tactics such as subsidies, dumping, regulatory barriers, and state support for enterprises.

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They subsidised, they dumped, they erected regulatory barriers, they supported state-owned enterprises, they used every tool available to build their industries and capture a greater share of the American market.

"They used every tool available to build their industries and capture a greater share of the American market," Kimmitt stated. However, he also directed criticism inward, faulting the United States for its own passivity.

"Our government too often stood by and watched as American factories closed, American production moved overseas, and American workers were overlooked and forgotten," Kimmitt said. He added that U.S. leaders "refused to recognise that reality, or worse, simply allowed it to happen."

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Our government too often stood by and watched as American factories closed, American production moved overseas, and American workers were overlooked and forgotten. Our leaders, too often, refused to recognise that reality, or worse, simply allowed it to happen.

Speaking at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, Kimmitt highlighted the Trump administration's "America First" trade policy. This policy prioritizes tariffs, supply chain decoupling, and renegotiating trade agreements to address what it terms "unfair and unbalanced trade." Kimmitt stressed the need for the U.S. to rebuild its capacity in manufacturing, energy, and skilled labor to ensure economic and national security.

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We need the capacity to manufacture the materials and technologies required for our economy, our infrastructure and our national defence.