Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has introduced new legislation aimed at preventing Communist China and other foreign adversaries from evading U.S. tariffs. The Stopping Adversarial Tariff Evasion Act seeks to close a loophole that allows Chinese manufacturers to avoid paying tariffs by relocating production to other countries, a practice known as “country hopping.”
The bill, announced on Tuesday, would amend the Trade Act of 1974 and the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to ensure that national security-related tariffs and trade restrictions apply to goods produced by foreign adversary-controlled entities, regardless of where the products are manufactured. This move is designed to protect American manufacturers from unfair trade practices and strengthen the U.S. economy.
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Chinese manufacturers have increasingly moved production to countries like Vietnam, Mexico, and Malaysia to circumvent U.S. tariffs imposed on goods made in China. This practice has allowed them to avoid paying billions of dollars in tariffs while continuing to flood the global market with cheap products, putting American businesses at a competitive disadvantage.
Senator Scott’s legislation aims to put an end to this evasion by ensuring that tariffs are applied to goods produced by entities controlled by foreign adversaries, such as China, as if they were made in the adversary’s own territory. The bill specifically targets key industries, including autos, solar panels, and semiconductors, where Chinese manufacturers have been particularly active in relocating production.
“President Trump is right to use tariffs as a strategic tool to protect American jobs and our best interests, and to hold our adversaries accountable when they’re taking advantage of the United States,” Scott said. “This is especially true for Communist China, one of our nation’s biggest adversaries, that will do anything on the quest for global domination and that clearly includes lying, exploiting our laws, evading tariffs, and taking full advantage of the former administration’s weaknesses to drive American manufacturers and businesses out of the global market.”
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Scott added, “My bill, the Stopping Adversarial Tariff Evasion Act, will ensure Communist China and all of our adversaries will be held fully accountable and paying the full price of our tariffs – no exceptions. We’re entering America’s Golden Age with President Trump, and that means putting Communist China and every nation taking advantage of the United States on notice that the America-first economy is BACK.”
The Stopping Adversarial Tariff Evasion Act comes as the U.S. continues to grapple with the economic and national security challenges posed by China’s aggressive trade practices. The bill builds on the Trump administration’s efforts to use tariffs as a tool to protect American industries and workers, particularly in sectors critical to national security.
If passed, the legislation would strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure that tariffs are effectively applied, leveling the playing field for American manufacturers.
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