PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s congressional leaders say China has failed to deliver on its promise to buy more lobsters in a deal that opens the way for a trade war detente under former President Donald Trump the door.
The mission argued that Maine’s lobster industry was hurt by China’s retaliatory tariffs in 2018 and failed to see significant export gains after China pledged to buy an additional $200 million in U.S. goods.
Under the Phase One deal, China was supposed to increase purchases to 2017 levels, but according to a Feb. 17 letter from Maine Sen. Angus King and Rep. “Few purchases of lobster above 2017 levels”. . Chelie Pingree and Jared Golden, both Democrats.
They urged U.S. Trade Representative Kathryn Day to “hold China accountable for its purchasing commitments.”
Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine wrote a letter expressing the same concerns and urging “swift and appropriate action.”
Maine’s live lobster sales to China fell in the year following the July 2018 lobster tariffs that China diverted lobster purchases to Canadian dealers, industry officials said.
The U.S. Trade Representative has accused Beijing of failing to deliver on its commitments to open markets when it joined the World Trade Organization. China has denied the allegations.
