Overview
- The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative formally launched two Section 301 investigations and published deadlines for public comments and hearings.
- The excess‑capacity inquiry covers 16 economies, including China, the European Union, Japan, India, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
- The forced‑labor inquiry spans 60 trading partners, including China, Canada, Brazil, the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, Mexico and Vietnam.
- Written comments are due April 15, with hearings scheduled for April 28–May 1 on forced labor and May 5–8 on excess capacity at the U.S. International Trade Commission.
- USTR is seeking evidence on whether the cited practices are unreasonable or discriminatory and input on possible tariffs or import restrictions that can be indefinite under Section 301, with outside reporting suggesting any duties could mirror the recently invalidated IEEPA rates.