As global economic and geopolitical environments enter a new era, companies need to continuously develop and adjust their coherent global business strategies to secure and further expand business opportunities in all markets while minimizing political and legal risks by ensuring compliance. To assist you with that task, Mayer Brown’s US-China Trade Monthly provides news and insights related to the latest US developments impacting the US-China bilateral trade relationship. In the current issue, we will discuss: (1) Public comments on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework; (2) USTR’s 2022 Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement; (3) USTR’s Proposed Budget for 2023; (4) USTR’s Initiation of a Four-Year Review of 301 Tariffs; and (5) US International Trade Commission’s launch of an investigation into Sections 232 and 301 tariffs.

Commerce Department Receives Comments on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

On April 11, the US Department of Commerce (the “Department”) and the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) closed their public comment period for the administration’s proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (“IPEF”). The comments provided during the period will help the Department and USTR set goals for the final agreement.

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USTR Releases Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection with Special Section on New Chinese IP Laws

On April 27, the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) released the 2022 Special 301 Report on Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement. This year’s report is notable in that it contains a separate section dedicated to new Chinese laws on intellectual property protection and USTR’s view on their enforcement.

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USTR Releases Proposed Budget for 2023

On April 1, 2022, the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) submitted its Budget Justification for Fiscal Year 2023 to Congress. The document details the funding requirement for the USTR and how that money will be allocated. More importantly, it sets out USTR’s “strategic objectives, accomplishments, and measurements for success for the upcoming fiscal year.” USTR is requesting $76.54 million, an increase of $6.54 million from its Fiscal Year 2022 budget.

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USTR Initiates Four-Year Review of 301 Tariffs

On May 5, 2022, the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a Federal Register notice initiating its four-year review of Section 301 tariffs imposed on Chinese-origin goods in 2018. The notice is the first step of a multi-phase process that will determine the fate of the Section 301 duties that have been imposed on a wide range of Chinese products since 2018.

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US International Trade Commission Launches Investigation into Sections 232, 301 Tariffs

On May 6, the US International Trade Commission (“USITC”) announced the initiation of an investigation under Section 332 of the Trade Act of 1930. The subject of the investigation is the tariffs imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1930 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, and their respective impact on US industries. The investigation provides the public with an opportunity to comment on US tariff programs, which cover steel and aluminum imports from a variety of jurisdictions and many Chinese-origin goods.

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