China Manipulates Its Currency, Say 130 Congressmen

More than 100 members of the US Congress are asking the Obama administration to label China a currency manipulator.

In a letter to Tim Geithner, treasury secretary, and Gary Locke, commerce secretary, the 130 Congressmen — both Republican and Democrats — accuse China of artificially manipulating the value of  its currency to ensure its exports remain competitive and by extension, increasing America’s trade deficit with China.

The members of the Congress sensing the Obama administration’s reluctance to designate China a currency manipulator (it’s not often we side with the members of Congress, but this time they do seem to have a point. Renminbi manipulation has become increasingly problematic in light of the unprecedented size and continual growth of trade imbalances between us and China. It’s time for Mainland to lift the value of its currency) have demanded the administration designate China a manipulator when it issues its regular report on currency manipulation next month.

FT: “I have not really seen this level of enthusiasm among members of Congress before,” said Tim Ryan, one of the Congressmen organising the bipartisan letter. “There is a heck of a coalition behind this and the time is right.”

The Congressmen also called for countervailing duties to be imposed on Chinese imports.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned against “finger-pointing” over currencies over the weekend, saying China “doesn’t believe that the [country’s currency] is undervalued.”

Here is the full text of the letter, as well as those who signed it.

March 15, 2010

Dear Secretary Geithner and Secretary Locke:

We write to express our serious concerns about China’s continued manipulation of its currency. By pegging the renminbi (RMB) to the U.S. dollar at a fixed exchange rate, China unfairly subsidizes its exports and disadvantages foreign imports. As we work to promote a robust U.S. economic recovery, it is imperative that we address this paramount trade issue with all available resources. We urge your agencies to respond to China’s currency manipulation with the actions outlined in this letter. Doing so will allow American companies and workers to compete fairly against their Chinese counterparts and will boost U.S. economic recovery and growth.

The impact of China’s currency manipulation on the U.S. economy cannot be overstated. Maintaining its currency at a devalued exchange rate provides a subsidy to Chinese companies and unfairly disadvantages foreign competitors. U.S. exports to the country cannot compete with the low-priced Chinese equivalents, and domestic American producers are similarly disadvantaged in the face of subsidized Chinese imports. The devaluation of the RMB also exacerbates the already severe U.S-China trade deficit. Statistics show that between January 2000 and May 2009, China’s share of the U.S. trade deficit for non-oil goods grew from 26% to 83% — an untenable pattern for American manufacturers. And finally, China’s exchange-rate misalignment threatens the stability of the global financial system by contributing to rampant Chinese inflation and accumulation of foreign reserves. For these compelling reasons, we ask your agencies to pursue the course of action below.

First, we urge the Department of Commerce to apply the U.S. countervailing duty law in defense of American companies who have suffered as a result of the currency manipulation. The U.S. is permitted to respond to subsidized imports where the elements of a subsidy are met under the countervailing duty law. The countervailing duty law outlines a three-part test to identify the presence of a countervailable subsidy: 1) that it involves a financial contribution from the government; 2) that it confers a benefit; and 3) that is specific to an industry or a group of industries. China’s exchange rate misalignment meets all three parts of this test and therefore merits the WTO-permitted application of countervailing duties.

Second, we ask the Department of Treasury to include China in its bi-annual agency report on currency manipulation. Since 1994 Treasury has not identified China as a country that manipulates its currency under the terms of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (“Trade Act of 1988”), but Secretary’s Geithner testimony to the Senate acknowledging that fact surely justifies the inclusion of China in the report. After labeling the country as a currency manipulator, Treasury should enter into negotiations with China regarding its foreign exchange regime. These combined actions will signal the government’s willingness to take decisive action against China’s currency manipulation, including the potential filing of a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization.

The recommendations identified above must be done in concert with intense diplomatic efforts, not only with China but also with the IMF and multi-laterally with other countries. Through a combined strategy of legal action and international pressure, it is possible China will revisit its undervaluation of the RMB. If these efforts are not successful, we ask the Administration to consider all the tools at its disposal, including the application of a tariff on Chinese imports, to respond to China’s currency manipulation. The economic impact of the RMB undervaluation on American businesses and workers is too great for the Administration not to pursue a comprehensive effort.

This economic downturn has underscored the pressing need to promote policies that protect U.S. jobs and U.S. businesses. Addressing China’s manipulation of its currency must be a critical part of our strategy to rebuild our economy and establish safeguards against future financial crises. The Administration has the legal ability and resources to protect American businesses in the face of China’s RMB devaluation, and we urge you to exercise this authority expeditiously.

Thank you for your consideration of this letter. We look forward to your response.

1. Aderholt (R-AL)

2. Altmire (D-PA)

3. Arcuri (D-NY)

4. Baca (D-CA)

5. Baldwin (D-WI)

6. Barrett (R-SC)

7. Berry (D-AR)

8. R. Bishop (R-UT)

9. S. Bishop (D-GA)

10. T. Bishop (D-NY)

11. Boccieri (D-OH)

12. Bonner (R-AL)

13. Boswell (D-IA)

14. Boucher (D-VA)

15. Braley (D-IA)

16. H. Brown (R-SC)

17. D. Burton (R-IN)

18. Butterfield (D-NC)

19. Buyer (R-IN)

20. Carney (D-PA)

21. Childers (D-MS)

22. Coble (R-NC)

23. Conyers (D-MI)

24. Costello (D-IL)

25. Dahlkemper (D-PA)

26. L. Davis (D-TN)

27. DeFazio (D-OR)

28. DeLauro (D-CT)

29. Dingell (D-MI)

30. Doggett (D-TX)

31. Donnelly (D-IN)

32. Doyle (D-PA)

33. Ehlers (R-MI)

34. Ellison (D-MN)

35. Filner (D-CA)

36. Foster (D-IL)

37. Gerlach (R-PA)

38. G. Green (D-TX)

39. Grijalva (D-AZ)

40. Halvorson (D-IL)

41. Hare (D-IL)

42. Heinrich (D-NM)

43. Herseth Sandlin (D-SD)

44. Higgins (D-NY)

45. Hinchey (D-NY)

46. Hodes (D-NH)

47. Hoekstra (R-MI)

48. Holden (D-PA)

49. Holt (D-NJ)

50. D. Hunter (R-CA)

51. Inglis (R-SC)

52. J. Jackson (D-IL)

53. E.B. Johnson (D-TX)

54. H. Johnson (D-GA)

55. T. Johnson (R-IL)

56. W. Jones (R-NC)

57. Kagen (D-WI)

58. Kanjorski (D-PA)

59. Kaptur (D-OH)

60. Kildee (D-MI)

61. Kilroy (D-OH)

62. Kissell (D-NC)

63. Kucinich (D-OH)

64. LaTourette (R-OH)

65. B. Lee (D-CA)

66. C. Lee (R-NY)

67. Lipinski (D-IL)

68. Loebsack (D-IA)

69. Lynch (D-MA)

70. Mack (R-FL)

71. Maffei (D-NY)

72. Manzullo (R-IL)

73. McCotter (R-MI)

74. McGovern (D-MA)

75. McHenry (R-NC)

76. McIntyre (D-NC)

77. Michaud (D-ME)

78. B. Miller (D-NC)

79. C. Miller (R-MI)

80. Mollohan (D-WV)

81. C. Murphy (D-CT)

82. P. Murphy (D-PA)

83. T. Murphy (R-PA)

84. Myrick (R-NC)

85. Napolitano (D-CA)

86. Olver (D-MA)

87. Pascrell (D-NJ)

88. Perriello (D-VA)

89. Peters (D-MI)

90. Petri (R-WI)

91. Pingree (D-ME)

92. Pitts (R-PA)

93. Platts (R-PA)

94. Rahall (D-WV)

95. Richardson (D-CA)

96. H. Rogers (R-KY)

97. M.D. Rogers (R-AL)

98. M.J. Rogers (R-MI)

99. Rohrabacher (R-CA)

100. Rush (D-IL)

101. T. Ryan (D-OH)

102. Linda Sanchez (D-CA)

103. Schakowsky (D-IL)

104. Schauer (D-MI)

105. Sensenbrenner (R-WI)

106. Shea-Porter (D-NH)

107. Sherman (D-CA)

108. Shimkus (R-IL)

109. Shuler (D-NC)

110. Shuster (R-PA)

111. Slaughter (D-NY)

112. Souder (R-IN)

113. Space (D-OH)

114. Spratt (D-SC)

115. Stark (D-CA)

116. Stupak (D-MI)

117. Sutton (D-OH)

118. Taylor (D-MS)

119. B. Thompson (D-MS)

120. G. Thompson (R-PA)

121. Tonko (D-NY)

122. M. Turner (R-OH)

123. Upton (R-MI)

124. Visclosky (D-IN)

125. Walz (D-MN)

126. Welch (D-VT)

127. Westmoreland (R-GA)

128. C. Wilson (D-OH)

129. J. Wilson (R-SC)

130. Woolsey (D-CA)