BOWIE, Md. (Sept. 27, 2012)—The day after the Obama administration's tariffs on Chinese passenger and light truck tires officially ended, the Tire Industry Association reiterated its longtime position that the tariffs didn't help American workers.
TIA, in a press release, quoted a statement from Roy Littlefield, its executive vice president, when the duties were levied in September of 2009.
“The tire manufacturers made the decision years ago to shift production of these lower-cost tires out of the U.S. All this action will do is force the tire manufacturers to shift production of these lower-cost tires to other countries,” Littlefield said at the time.
This was exactly what happened, TIA said.
TIA's charge is counter to what the Obama administration—which has touted the tariffs in a TV advertisement for President Obama's re-election—and the United Steelworkers union, which initiated the action with a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission, have said.
TIA also commented on the Obama administration's request to the World Trade Organization for dispute settlement consultations with China on autos and auto parts.
“The Tire Industry Association position is that free and open markets with level playing fields are best for the consuming public and the local tire dealership in providing the best price for the best product possible,” TIA said. “Although this is a different animal from the Chinese tire tariff of 2009, it is a continuation of the ongoing efforts of integrating the Asian giant into the world market.”