China shipbuilders rip Trump’s ‘short-sighted’ US port fees

[BEIJING] China’s shipbuilders on Saturday (Apr 19) blasted as “short-sighted” US port fees announced by US President Donald Trump’s administration on China-linked ships, a measure aimed at the nation’s shipbuilding industry.

Trump signed an order on Wednesday aimed at reviving US shipbuilding and reducing China’s grip on the global shipping industry. His government the next day watered the measures down by shielding domestic exporters and vessel owners serving the Great Lakes, the Caribbean and US territories.

The spat over ocean shipping, which conveys 80 per cent of global trade, is the latest conflict in an intensifying trade war between China and the US that has pushed levies on each other’s imports beyond 100 per cent.

The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry expressed “extreme indignation and resolute opposition” to the US measures, joining protests from the government and country’s shipowners.

“The decline of the US shipbuilding industry is the result of its protectionism and has nothing to do with China,” the shipbuilders said.

It warned the US restrictions would disrupt the global maritime system, lead to soaring shipping costs, further push up US inflation and harm the interest of the US people.

“We call on the international maritime industry to jointly resist this short-sighted US behaviour, and jointly maintain a fair market environment,” the industry body said, adding it expects Chinese authorities to take strong countermeasures.

The government protested against the “discriminatory” steps on Friday, urging Washington to “correct wrongdoings”.

The Ministry of Commerce vowed to “resolutely take necessary measures to safeguard our own interests”, saying the fees “fully reveal the essence of its unilateralist and protectionist policies, and are typical, non-market practices”. REUTERS