Katherine Tai, the Nominee to serve as the United States Trade Representative (USTR), emphasized toughness in dealing with China at her nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.  In response to questions, Tai pledged to work with Congress to ensure that tariffs imposed on China are appropriate to support U.S. businesses, workers and consumers.  Tai is determined that China should conform to commitments in trade pacts with the U.S.

With respect to the Phase One Trade Agreement, Tai noted that purchases of farm products attained $31 billion in 2020 compared to a commitment of $38 billion. Tai went beyond the sale of commodities and confirmed that China must deliver on structural changes promised and to refrain from coercive trade practices and illegally obtaining intellectual property. She vowed to work to open the domestic market in China for U.S. financial-service providers.  In response to a question from Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) himself a former U.S. trade representative, Tai noted “I will not hesitate to make use of the agreement's mechanisms when China falls short of its commitments.” 

Ms. Tai was born in Connecticut, attended the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School.  She taught English at Sun-Yat-sen University as a Yale-China fellow for two years.  She served in the office of General Council of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2007 to 2014 rising to Chief Council for China Trade Enforcement.  She has prosecuted cases at the World Trade Organization and was the Trade Council for the House Ways and Means Committee. Ms Tai contributed to the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement advocating for strong labor provisions. She is fluent in Mandarin and is fully conversant with the culture of China and the nuances of the diplomats of that nation. 

More than 100 business groups have signed letters to the Senate Finance Committee urging quick confirmation of Ms. Tai as the next USTR and she will receive bipartisan support from the Committee and in the Senate.