President Joe Biden is expected to call for higher tariffs to combat Chinese practices in the aluminum and steel industries while in Pittsburgh Wednesday at the United Steelworkers headquarters during an economic-focused blitz through the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh

President Joe Biden is slated to advocate for an increase in tariffs targeting Chinese practices within the aluminum and steel industries. His announcement is anticipated to occur in Pittsburgh at the United Steelworkers headquarters. This stop forms part of a broader, economic-focused tour across the key battleground state of Pennsylvania.



Biden heads to Pittsburgh, to call for higher steel tariffs

In an effort to protect the U.S. steel industry, the Biden administration wants to triple tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from China. The president will detail the plan today in a speech before the United Steelworkers Union in Pittsburgh. In addition, Biden will announce an investigation of Chinese subsidies for its shipbuilding industry. White House correspondent Haley Bull joins us now. Haley, good morning to you. So what does this latest move say about how the White House views the threat from Chinese imports? Good morning. These are certainly significant steps in the U.S.-China trade relationship, and we are expecting President Biden to tout those actions while at the United Steelworkers headquarters as part of his economic blitz focused throughout the battleground state of Pennsylvania. And as you mentioned, he will call for the tripling of tariffs on aluminum and steel imports from China, though first the United States trade representative needs to complete a Section 301 statutory review, which she told lawmakers this week she expected to be completed soon. He will also direct his teams to work with Mexico to avoid tariff evasions. And the United States trade representative is also starting an investigation into China's trade practices in shipbuilding following a petition from five labor unions, including the USW, and President Biden is expected to maintain his support for domestic ownership of U.S. steel as it faces a sale to Japan's Nippon Steel, something the USW had also opposed. Now, this announcement comes as the Biden administration has walked a balance in managing competition and communication with China, the White House calling it a strategic and targeted approach. Now, officials are concerned at the heart of this about the risk of China's overcapacity in these industries, aluminum and steel, a senior administration official explaining the importance in their view and getting in front of the concerns of a potential new export surge. Now, keep in mind, as we look at the careful diplomatic dance that has taken place between the United States and China, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in Beijing just last week, making clear that in her view, overcapacity was not an, quote, anti-China policy, noting the countries agreed to start exchanges on balanced growth. She said this. And I guess I'd like to underscore that our concern with overcapacity, this is not anti-China policy. It's an effort for us to mitigate the risks from the inevitable global economic dislocation that will result if China doesn't adjust its policies. And it is in the spirit of moving the U.S.-China economic relationship toward in that kind of constructive direction. Now, Biden's stop in Pittsburgh today is his second of three expected in the key state of Pennsylvania. Tuesday, Biden returned to his hometown of Scranton to contrast the tax visions and upbringing between his and his predecessors agenda, sharpening his line of criticism, framing the election as between Scranton values versus Mar-a-Lago values. Biden's campaign is touting early investment and engagement in the state, really creating a split screen as former President Trump focuses on the courtroom in New York. Alex, Jed. White House correspondent Haley Bull, thank you, Haley.

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Odesa

Ukraine Invasion

Russian missile attack kills five in Ukraine's Odesa

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