Letter to the Editor in The Washington Post: These Tariffs are Working

The Aug. 11 editorial “China exports its economic problems to the world” aptly highlighted a problem that the American steel industry and U.S. manufacturers have long decried: China’s heavy subsidies fuel a glut of exports that distort global markets.

In a recent position paper, China’s Ministry of Commerce denied a link between subsidies and excess manufacturing capacity. However, it is well documented that Beijing is a leading source of overcapacity in the global steel industry. Chinese steel firms in 2024 received 15 times more subsidies relative to their asset size than steel firms in the rest of the world, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A near doubling of China’s steel subsidy rate since 2019 has fueled Chinese oversupply and its steel export surge.

This is why the American steel industry strongly supports aggressive enforcement of U.S. trade laws to level the playing field and ensure competitiveness. Section 232 steel tariffs are working to strengthen the domestic steel industry, protect jobs and support America’s defense.

Kevin M. Dempsey, Washington
The writer is president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute.

View the letter in The Washington Post.