Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich and Port of Seattle Commission President Stephanie Bowman released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement today that a 10 percent tariff would be placed on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports beginning September 1, 2019:
“The Northwest Seaport Alliance has been clear and consistent in our messaging on this topic,” said Commissioner Petrich. “We support a balanced trading relationship with our global partners but are deeply concerned that the imposition of tariffs leads only to increased costs on U.S. businesses and consumers without any long-term strategic benefit. This newest imposition of 10 percent tariffs on essentially all remaining Chinese imports will create economic harm to our state’s employers, workers, residents, and international partnerships.”
“Without any clear indication that additional tariffs will lead to productive outcomes, the United States is simply throwing good money after bad by imposing these increased costs on domestic businesses and consumers,” said Commissioner Bowman. “Combined two-way trade with China through the NWSA is down 11.75% through end of May compared to the previous year, and down 6 percent through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Our farmers, ranchers, fishing industry, and others are already being deeply harmed, and spreading the impact will only make that problem worse.”
