The United Steelworkers union (USW) is calling on the Biden administration to investigate China’s commercial shipbuilding industry.  

A petition filed by the union March 12 claims that China has employed unfair practices over the last two decades, “choking out all competitors.” The unions accuse the Chinese government of subsidizing the shipbuilding industry to the tune of billions of dollars, and forcing domestic steel producers to provide raw material at low prices, according to the South China Morning Post.

“If we do not act quickly, we will soon be dependent on China not only for the products their vessels bring into our ports but also for the ships themselves,” USW international president David McCall said. 

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the United States to respond to unreasonable or discriminatory foreign government practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce. 

Other unions joining the USW in filing the trade petition include the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO. 

Senator Bob Casey on March 13 expressed his support for the unions, saying the Biden Administration should “investigate and impose tariffs on the Chinese Communist Party’s shipbuilding industry.” 

U.S.Trade Representative Katherine Tai responded to the USW’s petition shortly after it was filed on March 12, vowing to review it “in detail.” 

“We have seen the PRC create dependencies and vulnerabilities in multiple sectors, like steel, aluminum, solar, batteries, and critical minerals, harming American workers and businesses and creating real risks for our supply chains,” Tai said.