Senate Passes $280 Billion Industrial Policy Bill Meant to Counter China

Senate Passes $280 Billion Industrial Policy Bill Meant to Counter China

The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 passed in a vote of 63-33, with 17 Republicans voting in favor. The over 1,000-page legislation includes $52.7 billion for direct funding for the construction and expansion of semiconductor manufacturing and $24 billion for tax incentives and other purposes.

The bill will authorize roughly $200 billion in science and technology research funding that will be spread across several government agencies over the next five years. The largest recipient of the research funds will be the National Science Foundation, which will receive $81 billion.

Related:

CHIPS Won’t Help China

Third, the CHIPS Act actually has provisions designed specifically to restrict investments in China. These so-called “guardrails” require that companies taking federal dollars for American projects must also agree not to invest in state-of-the-art technology in China—not just with the federal dollars, with any dollars. Good-faith critics have raised fair concerns that these guardrails should be broader, tougher, and firmer. But any guardrails at all represent unprecedented restrictions on what U.S. companies can do in the People’s Republic. It’s one thing to say an ideal bill would hurt China even more; it’s quite another to try and claim that less-than-perfect restrictions count as “help.”

Pelosi’s Husband Dumped Up to $5M of Tech Stock Right Before Senate Passed CHIPS

Will the New U.S. Trade Rep Be Hobbled by Lobbyists?

Will the New U.S. Trade Rep Be Hobbled by Lobbyists?

Tai could represent a new era in Democratic trade policy, replacing both “free trade” scams on one flank, and the incoherent economic nationalism of Donald Trump on the other, with careful, substantive policy that serves America’s economic interest.

But the way these things work, Tai is at risk of having corporate types imposed just below her, in the key deputy USTR slots. There is a revolving door between USTR and powerful corporations, notably Big Tech companies, which have much to gain or lose from trade deals. As I’ve written, the next round of trade deals will resolve significant questions about e-commerce, privacy, the use of algorithms, and much more.

Related:

Joe Biden’s US trade chief pick ‘unmatched’ on China issues, would not be soft on Beijing

[Clete] Willems said she would “share Lighthizer’s hawkishness on China and has a tonne of direct background on China’s industrial policy from her days at USTR”, adding that “having someone who can directly converse with China in their own language is going to command respect”.

Why America’s economic war on China is failing

U.S. President Donald Trump—supported by most of the U.S. establishment—deepened the U.S. government’s assault on the Chinese economy. The “trade war” seemed to play well with Trump’s political base, who somehow hoped that an economic attack on China would miraculously create economic prosperity for them. In 2018, Trump slapped tariffs on more than $200 billion worth of various Chinese goods. Then, Trump’s administration went after Chinese high-tech firms such as Huawei, ZTE, ByteDance (the owners of TikTok), and WeChat.

Why America’s economic war on China is failing

Japan Then, China Now

Japan Then, China Now

Ironically, Trump has summoned the same Robert Lighthizer, veteran of the Japan trade battles of the 1980s, to lead the charge against China. Unfortunately, Lighthizer seems as clueless about the macro argument today as he was back then. 

In both episodes, the US was in denial, bordering on delusion. Basking in the warm glow of untested supply-side economics – especially the theory that tax cuts would be self-financing – the Reagan administration failed to appreciate the links between mounting budget and trade deficits. Today, the seductive power of low interest rates, coupled with the latest strain of voodoo economics – Modern Monetary Theory – is equally alluring for the Trump administration and a bipartisan consensus of China bashers in the US Congress. 

Trump India visit news: Yet to finalise trade deal with India: White House – The Economic Times

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who has been negotiating a trade deal with India, is not travelling with Trump on the India trip. In fact, he had cancelled his earlier trip to India as well.

“We continue to talk to our Indian colleagues about addressing these market access barriers. Our trade teams, led by the USTR, have been in touch with their counterparts over the past several weeks. That engagement will continue,” the official said.

“The trade and economic relationship with India is critically important to the United States, and I think also access to the United States market is critical to the Indian government. We do want to make sure that we get this balance right. We want to address a bunch — a lot of concerns, and we’re not quite there yet,” the official said in response to a question.
— Read on economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/yet-to-finalise-trade-deal-with-india-white-house/articleshow/74252714.cms

Critically important because Apple has at least one plant in India. Why won’t Lighthizer even go to India?! 🤔💭