I got this article reporting on Obama getting tough on trade with China only to actually read the USTR's report.

Look at what the United States wants China to reduce:

·         onerous testing and certification requirements on more than 1,200 consumer goods;

·         new requirements to register and inspect a broad range of imports;

·         ineffective enforcement against trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy;

·         burdensome import requirements or bans that are not based in science and not compliant with international standards, affecting beef and other animal products, horticulture, grains and processed products, and fruits and vegetables;

·         cumbersome and non-transparent approval processes for biotech products;

·         discriminatory excise taxes requiring imported products to pay rates 10 to 43 times higher than before;

·         prohibited export subsidies (e.g., for "national" brands) that are highly trade distorting; and

·         limitations to foreign participation in telecom markets, both basic and value added, through a multiplicity of barriers, including high basic capital requirements, and non-transparent and lengthy investment approvals.

Wait a second, isn't the United States supposed to increase inspections of goods from China considering all of the safety issues? What about those environmental standards and worker standards? What about China's tariff schedule against the United States?

Somehow I don't think the above is going to help with poison pet food, toothpaste, dry wall, or do much of anything to stop offshore outsourcing American jobs or any of our other woes.

Notice how nothing about U.S. manufacturing is also implied in this release.

Here is the actual report on China.

Gee, let's see, China now owns the United States and check out all of their protectionist measures to put their own nation's economic interests first.