The CEO of the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) has penned a letter to the Biden administration requesting the removal of Section 301 tariffs on China, which he said have had a detrimental impact on American businesses and working-class consumers who are already struggling with inflation.
It was sent just before President Biden’s scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (15 November), where the leaders discussed the relationship between the US and China.
In January of this year, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the National Retail Federation (NRF), The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) published a study indicating the “detrimental economic impacts” of Section 301 tariffs.
The report analysed data from the US government and a survey conducted in December 2022 among American companies sourcing goods from China. The findings revealed that the implementation of punitive tariffs in 2018 had negatively impacted American businesses and consumers.