“U.S. influence has been eroded in a part of the world where we were once poised to hold sway, and China has moved in to play an increasingly dominant role. This must change,” writes Ways and Means Member Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) in a new op-ed for Fox News alongside fellow Ways and Means Member Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS) and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX).
The Biden Administration needs to end its trade moratorium and begin to lead on trade by pursuing strategic trade agreements that strengthen reliable supply chains and open new customers for Made-in-America products and services.
America ought to lead the world by negotiating cutting-edge new trade agreements – not sit on the sidelines as President Biden continues his trade moratorium.
READ: A. Smith: Biden Admin’s Trade Moratorium Exacerbates Cruel Economy
KEY EXCERPTS:
As China continues its economic aggression throughout the Asia-Pacific and beyond, the Biden Administration is content to sit on the sidelines.
- “China is outmaneuvering the United States in this region with investments, loans, trade and exchanges. This is China’s backyard. It has natural advantages of geography, history and culture, and it has been cultivating this region for many years.”
- “Unfortunately the Biden administration has a moratorium on new trade deals and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is a pipe dream unless the Administration recognizes the role that Congress plays in setting trade policy.”
The Biden Administration should be focused on negotiating new trade agreements that promote America’s economic interests.
- “The United States has many interests in this critical region, and they aren’t all economic. We want to foster greater freedom and openness, both in general principle and as a barrier against Chinese Marxist-Leninist influence. Vietnam and Laos have yet to move away from their communist past.”
- “The United States must work with these countries over the long term to develop and strengthen economic and political ties and to foster common values. Trade and investment open the door for greater influence and American democratic values that will translate into greater freedom and prosperity for them.”
- “Free and fair trade, when done well, can lift people out of poverty and provide economic benefits for all countries involved. The U.S. can no longer afford to retreat from the international stage.
“A clear presence in the heart of the Indo-Pacific will ensure U.S. interests are well positioned into the 21st Century.”