New ITC Study Will Focus on Agriculture Exports to China
The U.S. International Trade Commission has launched an investigation into the effects of market access measures and conditions of competition for U.S. agricultural exports to China. The investigation, China’s Agricultural Trade: Competitive Conditions and Effects on U.S. Exports, was requested by the Senate Finance Committee on April 1, 2010.
The ITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation at 9:30 a.m. on June 22, 2010. (Requests to appear at the hearing are due May 25, 2010.)
Comments on the investigation are due September 15, 2010.
Investigation Will Focus on Factors Limiting Agriculture Exports to China
As requested by the Senate Finance Committee, the ITC report will include the following:
- An overview of China’s agricultural market, including recent trends in production, consumption, and trade;
- A description of the competitive factors affecting the agricultural sector in China, in such areas as costs of production, technology, domestic support and government programs related to agricultural markets, foreign direct investment policies, and pricing and marketing regimes;
- An overview of China’s participation in global agricultural export markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and in those markets with which China has negotiated trade agreements;
- A description of the principal measures affecting China’s agricultural imports, including tariffs and non-tariff measures such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade; and
- A quantitative analysis of the economic effects of China’s MFN tariffs, preferential tariffs negotiated under China’s free trade agreements, and China’s non-tariff measures on U.S. agricultural exports to China and on imports from the rest of the world.
The ITC will submit its report to the Senate Finance Committee by March 1, 2011.
ITC contact -- Peg O’Laughlin (202) 205-1819
ITC press release (dated 04/30/10) available at http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2010/er0430hh1.htm.
Senate Finance Committee press release (dated 04/01/10) on request for ITC investigation, including text of letter, available at http://finance.senate.gov/newsroom/chairman/release/?id=1c7d79d4-748d-4dc7-a246-2a6dbe9ccb64.