Duval Times

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has responded to the Wall Street Journal regarding U.S. trade policy with China. In a letter to the editor dated September 25, 2024, Rubio critiques past and present trade strategies involving China.

Rubio highlights the impact of previous free trade agreements with state-subsidized Chinese companies, noting that "2.4 million Americans lost their jobs." He emphasizes that it took policymakers over a decade to recognize and address the challenges posed by these agreements, but he believes current efforts to counter Beijing's economic practices are now seen as necessary.

Addressing comments made by Mr. Furman, Rubio disagrees with the assertion that the Biden administration erred in maintaining and expanding tariffs initially imposed by former President Trump on China. Rubio also points out Vice President Kamala Harris's apparent lack of enthusiasm for stringent trade policies, questioning whether it is prudent to overlook the developments of the past 25 years.

Rubio argues that allowing China to dominate supply chains poses a significant threat to U.S. national security. He cites China's recent move to restrict America's access to antimony—a metal essential for producing bullets, missiles, and nuclear weapons—as an example of this threat. According to Rubio, Mr. Furman fails to offer any solutions to this pressing issue.

Rubio concludes by challenging proponents of re-establishing free trade with China to demonstrate how such policies would benefit America without compromising its economic interests or security.

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