Posted on April 28, 2025
Major Chinese ports operator COSCO Shipping opposed US accusations of China’s alleged malpractice in the shipbuilding and logistics industry and measures imposed to curb China’s dominance.
“We firmly oppose the accusations and the subsequent measures,” COSCO Shipping said in a statement on 21 April. “Such measures not only distort fair competition and impede the normal functioning of the global shipping industry but also threaten its stable and sustainable development.
The state-owned conglomerate claimed that the measures ultimately threaten the security, resilience, and orderly operation of global industrial and supply chains.
On 18 April, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a discriminatory decision concerning the Section 301 investigation into China’s maritime logistics and shipbuilding industries.
This came as part of the Trump administration’s plans to penalise Chinese-built vessels for crossing US ports in an effort to rejuvenate the shipbuilding industry in the US.
Initial measures received criticism from domestic industries in the US, warning that such charges will ultimately affect US consumers through increased prices, reported the Guardian.
Subsequently, the Office of the USTR revised its original plans which Chinese-built vessels would be charged $3.5 million each time they docked at a US port. However, new rules dictate that fees will be determined by the weight of cargo or the number of cargoes on board, as opposed to the number of US port calls.
The revised fees will also be assessed up to five times a year and can be waived if the owner instead orders a US-built ship, reported The Guardian.
“Ships and shipping are vital to American economic security and the free flow of commerce,” said the USTR Jamieson Greer.
“The Trump administration’s actions will begin to reverse Chinese dominance, address threats to the US supply chain, and send a demand signal for US-built ships.”
