US Senators asked to 'outcompete' China and invest in alliances like India

The United States Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has asked Democrats to draft a legislative package to "outcompete" China, create new jobs in the US, and invest in strategic partners and alliances like NATO and India. He also said over a call that his intention is to put the legislation on the Senate floor for a vote this spring.

“Today I directed the chairs and members of our relevant committees to start drafting a legislative package to outcompete China and create new American jobs,” Schumer said.

He also said that they should enhance American competitiveness with China by investing in US innovation, American workers, and American manufacturing; invest in strategic partners and alliances like NATO, Southeast Asia, and India; and expose, curb, and end once and for all China's predatory practices which have hurt so many American jobs. 

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China appeals to revive trade ties

Meanwhile, senior Chinese trade officials on Wednesday appealed to the U.S. and Australia to revive trade ties with Beijing. “Cooperation is the only correct choice,” Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said at a news conference. However, he gave no indication as to when tariff war talks with Washington might resume or whether Beijing might offer concessions. The US President Joe Biden has yet to announce a strategy for dealing with Beijing but is widely expected to renew pressure trade and technology complaints that prompted his predecessor, Donald Trump, to raise taxes on Chinese imports in 2017. Washington and Beijing raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each other's goods, disrupting global trade. Last January, they agreed to postpone further penalties but most taxes already imposed stayed in place. Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen accused "some people in Australia" of "stigmatizing" trade and investment projects between Australia and China. "We hope that Australia will do more things conducive to mutual trust and cooperation," he said.

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(With Agency Inputs)