Farm Groups Push Back on Proposal to Revoke China's Trade Status Over Retaliation Fears
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China hawks in Congress faced pushback from farm district Republicans and agriculture groups over a proposal to revoke China's normal trade relations status, which could raise tariffs on Chinese imports.
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The lawmakers argued such a move would have catastrophic consequences for U.S. farmers and rural communities that rely on exports to China.
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China hawk Rep. Mike Gallagher acknowledged "robust debate" over the trade language in a report from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
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The committee ultimately recommended rethinking tariffs on China in a way that would not explicitly revoke permanent normal trade relations.
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Some lawmakers and ag groups said even the reworded recommendation amounted to ending normal trade relations and could invite retaliation against U.S. agriculture.