美.国-2019年贸.易.政策议程和2018年年度报告-2019.3-373页_4mb

2019 Trade Policy Agenda and 2018 Annual Report Summary

Core Content

The 2019 Trade Policy Agenda and the 2018 Annual Report of the U.S. President on the Trade Agreements Program outline the administration's strategy to reform and enhance U.S. trade policies. These reports are submitted to Congress under Section 163 of the Trade Act of 1974 and cover U.S. trade agreements, enforcement activities, and broader trade initiatives.

Main Points of the Agenda

1. Economic Growth and Trade Performance

• The Trump administration reported significant economic growth since 2016, with GDP increasing from 1.6% to 2.9%.
• U.S. trade grew in both goods and services: exports increased by 7% in 2018, while imports rose by 8%.
• Job creation was robust, with over 4.8 million new jobs in two years, including 264,000 manufacturing jobs in 2018.
• Manufacturing employment increased significantly, with an average of 20,000 new jobs per month during the Trump administration.

2. Trade Policy Objectives

• The administration aims to ensure fair trade practices and punish unfair competition and illegal subsidies.
• It emphasizes the need for a trade system that benefits American workers and businesses, particularly in manufacturing.
• The administration criticizes the existing global trading system as flawed, favoring non-market economies like China and failing to address modern trade issues.

3. Trade Agreements and Negotiations

• Concluded Agreements: The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) replaced NAFTA, and the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) was finalized.
• Agreements Notified for Negotiation: The U.S. initiated negotiations with the EU, Japan, and the UK.
• Free Trade Agreements in Force: The U.S. has agreements with Australia, Bahrain, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Peru, and Singapore.
• Other Initiatives: The administration pursued trade negotiations in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and with China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia.

4. Trade Enforcement Activities

• The administration actively used Section 301 to address unfair trade practices, especially with China.
• It engaged in WTO Dispute Settlement and enforced trade commitments through various mechanisms.
• Special 301 and Section 1377 were used to monitor and address trade barriers and telecommunications agreements.
• The administration also focused on antidumping and countervailing duty actions, as well as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

5. Other Trade Activities

• Manufacturing and Trade: The administration aimed to support U.S. manufacturing and open export markets for American agriculture.
• Intellectual Property (IPR): The administration emphasized the need to protect U.S. IP and combat theft, particularly by China.
• Digital Trade: Efforts were made to promote fair digital trade practices and electronic commerce.
• Trade and Environment: The administration worked on bilateral and multilateral environmental trade initiatives.
• Trade and Labor: It focused on labor rights and environmental standards in trade agreements, and supported Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers affected by trade.
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Initiatives were introduced to support SMEs and enhance trade capacity in developing countries.

Key Information

• The USTR is responsible for preparing the report and acknowledges the contributions of its staff and partner agencies.
• The report includes Annex I on U.S. trade in 2018 and Annex II on U.S. trade-related agreements.
• The WTO is a major focus, with detailed discussions on various committees, councils, and negotiations.
• The administration criticized the WTO's Appellate Body for judicial activism and its failure to address modern trade issues.

Conclusion

The Trump administration's trade policy agenda is centered on rebalancing trade to benefit American workers and businesses, reforming outdated agreements, and enforcing fair trade practices. It highlights the need for a more worker-friendly and market-oriented trade system, especially in response to unfair practices by non-market economies like China. The administration also seeks to modernize trade policy to align with the 21st-century economy, through new agreements, stronger enforcement, and policy coordination with Congress and international partners.