A letter sent to the White House by the Tire Industry Association (TIA) urges President Barack Obama to reject imposition of import duties on car and light truck tires imported from China.
A copy of the missive was also delivered to United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk at the International Trade Commission (ITC).
“TIA strongly encourages President Obama to reject this, and all other ill-conceived proposals concerning the importation of tires manufactured in China,” says TIA President Roy Littlefield. “The bottom line is that it won’t help American workers, and it will only harm American consumers and tire dealers, many of whom are hard-working, independent businesspeople.”
Littlefield also stresses that the TIA’s long-standing position has always been that “all tires – regardless of country of origin – should be held to the same rigorous Federal safety standards, including tires manufactured in China.”
The ITC’s proposed actions, according to the TIA:
• Would not protect U.S. manufacturing jobs;
• Would result in higher prices and less options for consumers;
• Would be especially punitive given the current economic climate;
• Would create a market disruption.
The situation “could prove dangerous,” says Littlefield, “for if consumers do not have access to affordable tires they may defer purchasing needed replacement tires for their vehicles, thus creating a potential hazard on America’s roads.”
For more information, visit www.tireindustry.org.
