New York State’s job loss to China put at 127,000
That’s the toll since China joined WTO in 2001, study by think tank says
WASHINGTON — The bipartisan trade deals with China cost New York State 127,000 jobs — or 1.5 percent of its labor force — between 2001 and the end of 2007, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Economic Policy Institute said a large share of the jobs lost in the United States after China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001 were in high-tech manufacturing. It said there were 23,000 positions lost in New York State in computer and technology products manufacturing because of Chinese imports.
Nationally, the U. S. trade deficit with China on computers and chips increased six-fold, to $68 billion in 2007. By contrast, America had a $15 billion trade surplus in advanced technology products with the rest of the world.
The clothing-manufacturing industry in the state lost another 23,000 jobs.
EPI said the reductions in high-tech jobs ran counter to claims by Clinton administration trade promotion officials during the fight in the late 1990s to give China most favored nation trading status with the U. S.
Laws needed to lower tariffs against Chinese imports were promoted by the Democratic Clinton administration and approved by Congresses which then were controlled by Republicans.
New York ranked third among the states in numerical job loss because of Chinese imports after California,
325,000, and Texas, 203,000. Nationally, 2,295,300 were wiped out because of the China trade in just seven years.
Two thirds of the jobs that disappeared, or about 1.5 million, were in manufacturing.
Commenting on the report, Terry Straub, vice president of the United Steel Workers, said the losses are the result of China’s “cheating.” He said China unfairly undervalues its currency, subsidizes exports and erects not tariff barriers to American exports.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has consistently refused appeals by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N. Y.,and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S. C.,to toughen the American stance on Chinese currency, which gives the regime a price advantage of at least 40 percent over American products.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N. Y., whose husband vigorously promoted opening the U. S. to foreign exports, has called for a moratorium on more trade deals.
