In response to the Trump administration’s announcement to levy tariffs on goods imported from China, the Auto Care Association issued a statement from Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, saying:

“The Auto Care Association supports the Trump administration’s efforts in addressing China’s unfair trade policies and practices through the Section 301 Investigation. We continue to work with our members to address a number intellectual property concerns, including counterfeit auto parts and brand protection on e-commerce platforms. Not only does theft of intellectual property pose a significant economic threat to the U.S. economy, it inhibits innovation and weakens competitiveness.

“However, we are concerned with the tariffs President Trump has announced on imports from China. As a manufacturing hub and an important source of imports, China is a critical player in our industry’s supply chain. Imposing import restrictions and trade barriers will have unintended negative consequences on the U.S. economy and our industry’s global supply chains, likely causing discrimination against U.S. products and pricing out U.S. exporters in the global marketplace.

“As stated in the multi-association letter representing the business community of which the Auto Care Association was a signatory, we believe the imposition of tariffs would ‘trigger a chain reaction of negative consequences for the U.S. economy, provoking retaliation; stifling U.S. agriculture, goods, and services exports; and raising costs for businesses and consumers.’

“Instead of counterproductive tariffs, we urge the administration to continue engaging with the stakeholders to find effective solutions to address China’s protectionist policies.”