China's Ministry of Commerce has fired back at the U.S. proposal to levy port fees on Chinese ships, stating it could disrupt global supply chains and negatively impact the U.S. economy and employment. 🛳️💥
He Yadong, spokesperson for the ministry, emphasized that such fees would drive up global shipping costs, destabilize supply chains, increase inflationary pressures domestically in the U.S., weaken the competitiveness of U.S. goods, and harm consumers and businesses.
The proposal comes from the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative (USTR), which on February 21, sought public comments on actions related to their Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors—including these port fees.
He Yadong criticized the U.S. approach, labeling it as unilateralism and protectionism that violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. China is urging the United States to respect multilateral rules and avoid further tensions, while closely monitoring U.S. actions to protect its legitimate rights and interests.
