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US-China relations
China

US House revives bipartisan bill to tackle ‘trade crimes’ committed by Chinese companies

Legislation that would set up an investigative task force at Justice Department called a crucial companion to Donald Trump’s tariffs

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Some 30 members of the US House of Representatives are sponsoring the legislation. Photo: AP
Bochen Hanin Washington
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the US House of Representatives introduced a bill on Wednesday to help federal agencies tackle “trade crimes” committed by Chinese companies, calling it a crucial companion to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
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The bill, sponsored by Republican Ashley Hinson of Iowa, would establish a new task force within the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes committed by companies and other entities.

It would also provide training and technical help to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies as well as require the US attorney general to produce an annual report about the Justice Department’s efforts and trade crime statistics.

A version of the bill passed the House last year but failed to become law before the end of the congressional session. To become law, it would again need to pass the full House and full Senate.

“This is about accountability,” said Hinson, who serves on both the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Appropriations Committee.

Citing cases of Chinese companies evading US tariffs and “perpetuating slave labour violations”, Hinson said the Justice Department was “woefully under-equipped” to detect, investigate and prosecute such offences.

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