USTR Begins Section 301 Hearings on Structural Excess Capacity Across 16 Economies
Primary region US
Tags Political economy · Diplomacy
Regions US · China · Europe · Asia
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative commenced public hearings from May 5-8 at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, as part of Section 301 investigations into structural excess capacity and production across 16 economies including China, the EU, Japan, Korea, India, Vietnam, and Mexico. Ambassador Jamieson Greer initiated the self-directed investigations in March under the Trade Act of 1974, examining subsidies, state-owned enterprise activities, wage suppression, and trade barriers.
Strategic interpretation
These Section 301 investigations represent the Trump administration's broadest trade enforcement action since the 2025 tariff escalations, targeting subsidized overcapacity in steel, EVs, and semiconductors. With hearings coinciding with preparations for the Trump-Xi Beijing summit, the investigations serve as both leverage and a potential flashpoint — China and the EU are among the primary targets.