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A Cry to Limit Chinese Imports Rings at Paper Mill
NYTIMES ^ | March 2 2007 | STEVEN R. WEISMAN

Posted on 03/02/2007 6:49:37 AM PST by mac_truck

LUKE, Md. — For years the residents of this economically distressed hollow in the Appalachians have watched textile mills, glass factories and tire makers close down one after the other. Now its lone remaining big factory — “the last man standing,” as the production manager at the paper mill here put it — is threatened by imports of cheaper paper made in China.

We’re still the economic engine for this whole area,” said Scott Graham, the production manager, referring to the river valley and forested hills surrounding the mill. “But our operations cannot compete with these below-cost imports.”

It is a familiar story in the struggle of the American industrial base to cope with globalization, but this one may have a different ending.

The problems of paper mills here and elsewhere around the country have become a test case for a possible new confrontation between the United States and China, which many industry officials and members of Congress hope could lead to new tariffs on imports not only of Chinese-made paper but also of steel, furniture, textiles and plastics.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; hunter; imports; tariffs; trade
This could be an important test of American sovereigntyy if the WTO gets involved.
1 posted on 03/02/2007 6:49:40 AM PST by mac_truck
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To: mac_truck
Ask any business man in any manufacturing sector if the Chinese imports have hurt his business and made it harder to compete and be successful. ...to hire more workers and expand.

In short, it's slow bleed with lots of companies actually moving production to China and bringing it back cheaper than producing it here.

2 posted on 03/02/2007 6:56:05 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: mac_truck

Go, Union!

/sarcasm


3 posted on 03/02/2007 6:56:06 AM PST by GovernmentIsTheProblem (Capitalism is the economic expression of individual liberty. Pass it on.)
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To: GovernmentIsTheProblem

I hate unions, but American manufactures need a level playing field when it comes to Chinese imports.


4 posted on 03/02/2007 6:57:24 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: mac_truck

American paper companies are getting out of the coated paper business as fast as they can... The remaining money maker is liner board, brown paper for boxes.


5 posted on 03/02/2007 7:01:54 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
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To: TexasCajun


You are right. Thats why I'm supporting Ducan Hunter for President.

He is right on the trade issues.


6 posted on 03/02/2007 7:02:58 AM PST by JRochelle (SuperBowl MVP Peyton Manning is a Republican!)
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To: JRochelle
He is right on the trade issues.

Can you expand on that comment? What is his position on trade, particularly with China?

7 posted on 03/02/2007 7:06:06 AM PST by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu lÂ’aidera)
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To: mac_truck

I see laminate flooring (made virtually completely from pressed recycled paper) from China for as little as 63c/SF retail for a single box. And remember that that includes the cost of shipping it. There are plenty of people who just want to get the cheapest stuff they can find and there's plenty of Chinese stores to accomodate them.


8 posted on 03/02/2007 7:08:53 AM PST by jiggyboy (Ten per cent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: mac_truck

The US paper mills just got through taking out a good chunk of domestic production in order to raise prices.


9 posted on 03/02/2007 7:09:20 AM PST by listenhillary (You can lead a man to reason, but you can't make him think)
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To: mac_truck
He says China has a huge advantage because China doesn't link it currency to something or other.? (I admit I'm not totally clued in.) Somehow that gives their corporations a huge subsidy, making their prices unnaturally low.

Hunter is for fair trade, not free trade.
10 posted on 03/02/2007 7:10:43 AM PST by JRochelle (SuperBowl MVP Peyton Manning is a Republican!)
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To: jiggyboy


I was a the grocery store the other day and was looking at cans of mushrooms. Product of China.

I was horrified. I am not fond of the idea of putting things in my mouth that were produced in China. Needless to say, I didn't buy.


11 posted on 03/02/2007 7:13:00 AM PST by JRochelle (SuperBowl MVP Peyton Manning is a Republican!)
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To: jiggyboy
I see laminate flooring (made virtually completely from pressed recycled paper) from China for as little as 63c/SF retail for a single box.

I don't doubt the Chinese are selling their products cheaply in the United States, the real question is how are they doing it? Are they dumping their products for less than it costs to produce them? Are they allowing American companies equal acccess to their markets? Are we competing on a level playing field?

Clearly this is not the same Chinese economy that existed 15 years ago when these trade deals were implemented.

12 posted on 03/02/2007 7:22:11 AM PST by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu lÂ’aidera)
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To: JRochelle
Ok, he's talking about the value of the Yuan which the Chinese had pegged to the US dollar. The United States has been trying to get the Chinese to let their currency float on its own, (which would more truly reflect the strength of their economy) with mixed success.

Hunter has a very good point on this.

13 posted on 03/02/2007 7:29:41 AM PST by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu lÂ’aidera)
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To: mac_truck

Roy is deeply saddened.

14 posted on 03/02/2007 8:14:18 AM PST by jmc813 (Rudy Giuliani as the Republican nominee is like Martin Luther being Pope.)
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To: mac_truck
You may be interested in this thread.
15 posted on 03/02/2007 8:16:09 AM PST by jmc813 (Rudy Giuliani as the Republican nominee is like Martin Luther being Pope.)
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To: JRochelle

> I was a the grocery store the other day and was looking at cans of mushrooms. Product of China.

OMG! Trust nothing food-wise that is produced in China.


16 posted on 03/02/2007 8:37:37 AM PST by glorgau
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To: jmc813
You may be interested in this thread.

Thanks, I'll check it out. I'm gladd there's one candidate at least who's focusing on this issue.

17 posted on 03/02/2007 9:05:39 AM PST by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu lÂ’aidera)
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