"In the event that the Trade Representative determines that China is not meeting its purchase commitments under the Phase One Agreement with respect to seafood, the Trade Representative shall consider, to the extent permitted by law, taking all appropriate action to impose reciprocal retaliatory tariffs on seafood exports from China", Trump said in a memo on Wednesday to the US Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the US Trade Representative.
The memo added that starting on 15 August, the US Trade Representative will submit a monthly report to the US president detailing whether China has made progress in fulfilling its purchase commitments under the Phase One deal related to the purchase of US seafood. The US Trade Representative will also report on a monthly basis the value of Maine and other US lobster exports to China.
Last week, Pompeo said China's top diplomat recommitted to carrying out Beijing's obligations under the Phase One trade agreement between the United States and China.
In mid-January, the United States and China struck the Phase One trade agreement. Beijing agreed to increase purchases of US goods and services by $200 billion over the next two years. For its part, the United States agreed to trim some tariffs but maintain them on $360 billion worth of Chinese imports.
Since the novel coronavirus outbreak, the trade agreement has seen limited implementation due to economic challenges and diplomatic tensions caused by Trump’s accusations that Beijing was responsible for the global outbreak of the virus.
