Today, Chairman John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) expressed support for proposed actions by the Trump administration aimed at countering China's maritime practices. These measures are intended to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
The joint statement highlighted bipartisan agreement regarding investigations conducted by two successive administrations into CCP policies that dominate global shipbuilding and maritime industries. "We welcome the announcement on proposed actions based on the investigations of two successive Administrations into the Chinese Communist Party’s policies to dominate the global shipbuilding and maritime industries," they stated.
Both leaders emphasized how China has used state subsidies and anti-competitive practices over decades, impacting U.S. shipbuilding negatively. "There is mutual agreement between a Republican and Democratic administration that the CCP has for decades used state subsidies and anti-competitive practices to restrict U.S. shipbuilding and maritime commerce," they noted.
Once a leading force in global shipbuilding, America now faces significant competition from China, which controls over half of worldwide production compared to America's 0.2 percent share. "Not long ago, the U.S. was the world’s largest shipbuilder," they remarked, adding that for every large ocean-going vessel built in America each year, China builds 359.
Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi reaffirmed their commitment to bipartisan efforts aimed at holding China accountable while revitalizing domestic capabilities: "We are firmly committed to working on a bipartisan basis to hold the CCP accountable for its unfair maritime practices."
Efforts will continue through collaboration within The Select Committee as it addresses economic threats posed by these challenges with hopes toward restoring America's status among leading commercial maritime powers globally during this century.
