(2007-02-28) Us Considering China Tariffs

The problems of paper mills here and elsewhere around the country may spark a new confrontation between the United States and China, which many industry officials and members of Congress hope could lead to new Tariff-s on imports not only of Chinese-made paper but also of steel, furniture, textiles and plastics... Lawyers for New Page say that Chinese producers charge $800 for a midgrade roll of paper, compared with the $1,000 the American company charges. The price differential alone does not prove the case, but it has enabled Chinese producers to increase their share of the American market to 5.4 percent last year from less than 1 percent in 2000, the company says.