Bi-partisan commission faults U.S.-China trade policy.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released the 2004 Report to Congress that details concerns and recommendations for improving the security and economic equality of Chinese trade with the U.S. A full copy of the Report to Congress is available at http:// www.uscc.gov/researchreports/2004/ 04annual_report.PDF.

The document includes an analysis of inequities in the U.S.-China relationship, many of which focus on the problems Chinese trade practices pose to U.S. manufacturing as well as the economic and security effects on the nation.

The commission created the report to alert Congress to the fact that the rapidly increasing trade imbalance with China is eroding the economic strength of the U.S. and causing a significant loss in manufacturing jobs. Furthermore, the commission expressed concern that the Bush Administration has turned a blind eye to the risk of allowing that damage to take place.

The report highlighted several of the Chinese government's shortfalls and recommendations for Congressional action on practices that have had significant impact on U.S. trade such as: currency manipulation, continued provision of subsidies to Chinese producers, discriminatory tax treatment for domestic producers and unfounded technical, safety and labor standards.

The commission reported that China's violations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines make it nearly impossible for manufacturers to thrive in the U.S. The report concluded that for the U.S. to remain economically and nationally secure in relationship to China, the Administration must be more strict with China's currency policies, WTO compliance record and manufacturing subsidies.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is a bipartisan panel of experts created by Congress in 2000 to evaluate the national security and economic implications of U.S. trade with China.