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Coronavirus shows U.S. too dependent on cheap medical imports, USTR says
Reuters ^ | March 30, 2020 | by David Lawder and Andrea Shalal

Posted on 03/31/2020 2:53:21 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

WASHINGTON - U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Monday said the United States would seek to promote more domestic manufacturing of key medical supplies in light of the strategic vulnerabilities laid bare by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lighthizer told trade ministers from the Group of 20 major economies (G20) that Washington agreed there was a need to resolve supply chain disruptions and be aware of the impact of its actions on neighbors.

“Unfortunately, like others, we are learning in this crisis that over-dependence on other countries as a source of cheap medical products and supplies has created a strategic vulnerability to our economy,” Lighthizer said.

“For the United States, we are encouraging diversification of supply chains and seeking to promote more manufacturing at home.”

He warned against efforts to use the health and economic crisis to push “other agendas,” either in trade or elsewhere, and said that such efforts would sow distrust, however. He did not elaborate.

Some U.S. officials are concerned that China could seize on the crisis to push for tariff relief before fulfilling its purchase commitments under a Phase 1 U.S.-China trade deal signed in January.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; trade; virus

1 posted on 03/31/2020 2:53:21 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

About darned time.


2 posted on 03/31/2020 2:55:53 AM PDT by cba123 ( Toi la nguoi My. Toi bay gio o Viet Nam.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Indeed a Captain Obvious moment given we in the US have been talking about this a few weeks now....the ReutersIdiots are a day late and a dollar short on their reporting.

Trump will fix/address this probably after re-election.


3 posted on 03/31/2020 2:57:57 AM PDT by cranked
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To: cranked

He was trying to address this long before COVID-19, actually. He had released a Buy American EO for government purchases, and there were other things he was trying to do. Congress was too busy with Russia Russia Russia and the like to do their part, though.


4 posted on 03/31/2020 3:00:56 AM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“Some U.S. officials are concerned that China could seize on the crisis to push for tariff relief...

um k F U

Your move....


5 posted on 03/31/2020 3:05:53 AM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB0ndRzaz2o)
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To: cba123

I’m still waiting for the first Big Pharma exec or MSM reporter to fall in line with this. My daughter is in supply chain management. Seven years ago she raan a project for her then company on supply chain alternatives. She showed in black and white that domestic supply of parts was less expensive when including cost of returns and loss of business, idle time in assembly lines due to parts shortages, all from historical data. Mid level bean counters blocked her proposal, also purchasing.


6 posted on 03/31/2020 3:11:39 AM PDT by steve8714
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Two words...
Market Forces

Far too much of the US economy is horribly over-regulated, especially healthcare. And, it is run by ensconced, leftwing bureaucrats in support of the OWG agenda.


7 posted on 03/31/2020 3:21:53 AM PDT by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. Mr Trump, we've got your six.)
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To: PubliusMM; central_va
Two words... Market Forces

Market forces? Markets don't force anything, and the hand is invisible only because the hand likes it that way.

Markets simply provide information. The force is applied by humans who process and react to the information markets provide. Other information, like, "you are destroying your nation while profit seeking" should be factored into the matrix as well, and it should be factored in long before the message needs to be delivered by a rope and a tree.

"Markets" caused this problem, and markets certainly are not going to solve it.

8 posted on 03/31/2020 3:28:08 AM PDT by Jim Noble (There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Ya think....The President has been saying we’re too dependent on other countries for a lot of things. Maybe we can get a few companies to wise up.


9 posted on 03/31/2020 3:53:58 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
After Trump is re-elected and the chinavirus is killed off, one major impact will be the,"Made in America" label that is going to happen in many sectors manufacturing and mining of rare earth essential compounds.

Even the demonRATs are very afraid of what the slants can do if they tighten the supply chain on many required goods that they control.

10 posted on 03/31/2020 3:57:16 AM PDT by USS Alaska (NUKE THE MOOSELIMB, TERRORISTS, NOW!)
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“....given we in the US have been talking about this a few weeks now”

People have been talking about this since GHWB(41) gave his very revealing speech on the NWO. And earlier, prior to establishing a cozy relationship with PRC.

Just thinking about how much we have freely given, was stolen, and/or copied by the Chicomms, is infuriating.

Agents of change, TQM, time management, and all the other gurus since have all perpetuated the deceit. A country cannot survive without heavy industry. Argentina became a case study in the early 1900’s when their leadership recognized this and reversed the tumble.

No matter what lies are being cooked up for the next election, we cannot go back. This bat-soup epiphany was not only due, but timely. I sincerely pray, and hope we make it through to the other end of it scathed but not broken. This event is going to leave a scar.

But there exists a resiliency in most to carry on, and it will be interesting times. I wonder who will utter “just like it used to be” first? We need a reshuffling of interests back to our shores. There’s a lot of “just like it used to be” that created this mess. After the reshuffling there needs to be a sifting as well.

Large amounts of tar and feathers and split rail fencing lays in wait; it would be shameful to see anyone deserving get a pass.


11 posted on 03/31/2020 4:01:46 AM PDT by Clutch Martin (The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.)
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To: Jim Noble

And...your solution? What? More government?

Hardly...


12 posted on 03/31/2020 5:16:33 AM PDT by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. Mr Trump, we've got your six.)
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To: PubliusMM
And...your solution? What? More government?

Authoritarian revolution.

13 posted on 03/31/2020 6:11:39 AM PDT by Jim Noble (There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

America first! MAGA!


14 posted on 03/31/2020 1:18:49 PM PDT by vpintheak (Live free, or die!)
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