A Rocky Relationship Between the U.S. and China
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The U.S. is considering cracking down further on Chinese human rights abuses in Xinjiang, while President Trump had tough words about the U.S.–China relationship. Here’s an update on some important recent developments.
Human rights: The Trump administration is considering a ban on some or all products that include cotton from Xinjiang, the region where China has carried out the mass detention of mostly Muslim minorities. The order could have a substantial impact on global apparel makers.
Technology: The administration is also considering sanctioning China’s largest chipmaker, SMIC. The Department of Defense may add it to the “Entity List,” thereby restricting the company’s purchases of equipment made in the U.S. Beijing, as you might imagine, was not happy.
“Decoupling”?: In a Monday press briefing, President Trump discussed the possibility of “decoupling” the U.S. from China. “If we didn’t do business with [China], we wouldn’t lose billions of dollars. . . . It’s called decoupling. So you’ll start thinking about it,” he said.
A data security standoff: As the U.S. continues to crack down on Chinese telecommunications companies, claiming that they pose national security threats, China has developed its own set of “global standards on data security,” reports the WSJ (subscription). It’s trying to prevent the U.S. from convincing other countries to restrict Chinese access to or construction of key networks.
Canceled plans: About 100 official exchange forums between Chinese and U.S. officials have been canceled during the Trump presidency, reports Bloomberg. This means diplomats don’t know what the other side is doing on a long list of policy issues, from pharmaceuticals to tech and more.
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Manufacturers Unveil Competitiveness Agenda Ahead of Midterm Elections
“Competing to Win” offers a path for bringing the country together around policies, shared values and a unified purpose
Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the midterm elections, the National Association of Manufacturers released its policy roadmap, “Competing to Win,” a comprehensive blueprint featuring immediate solutions for bolstering manufacturers’ competitiveness. It is also a roadmap for policymakers on the laws and regulations needed to strengthen the manufacturing industry in the months and years ahead.
With the country facing rising prices, snarled supply chains and geopolitical turmoil, manufacturers are outlining an actionable competitiveness agenda that Americans across the political spectrum can support. “Competing to Win” includes the policies manufacturers in America will need in place to continue driving the country forward.
“‘Competing to Win’ offers a path for bringing our country together around policies, shared values and a unified purpose,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “The NAM is putting forward a plan filled with ideas that policymakers could pursue immediately, including solutions to urgent problems, such as energy security, immigration reform, supply chain disruptions, the ongoing workforce shortage and more. Manufacturers have shown incredible resilience through difficult times, employing more workers now than before the pandemic, but continued resilience is not guaranteed without the policies that are critical to the state of manufacturing in America.”
The NAM and its members will leverage “Competing to Win” to shape policy debates ahead of the midterm elections, in the remainder of the 117th Congress and at the start of the 118th Congress—including in direct engagement with lawmakers, for grassroots activity, across traditional and digital media and through events in key states and districts as we did following the initial rollout of the roadmap in 2016.
The document focuses on 12 areas of action, and all policies are rooted in the values that have made America exceptional and keep manufacturing strong: free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.
Learn more about how manufacturers are leading and about the industry’s competitiveness agenda at nam.org/competing-to-win.
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The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.77 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 58% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org
