Thailand to challenge US unfair-trade probe

Washington -- The United States said it was launching unfair trade practice investigations into 16 ‌key trading partners, including Thailand, as part of an urgent effort by President Donald Trump's administration to restore tariffs recently struck down by the US Supreme ⁠Court as illegal.

The probes are being conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which empowers the US Trade Representative to impose tariffs or other retaliatory measures against trading partners determined to employ ‌unfair ⁠trade practices.

Countries subject to the excess-capacity probe under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 are Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Switzerland and Norway.

Thailand’s Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said a special working group has been set up to prepare to challenge the charge of unfair trade by the US.

She said Thailand has until April 15 to submit its written formal response to USTR along with a submission to join an open hearing scheduled for May 5 in Washington DC.

China, meanwhile, said on Thursday the US claim of overcapacity was a "false proposition" and Beijing opposed "political manipulation under this pretext". China is against all forms of unilateral tariff measures, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference.