Senator James Lankford (R-OK) has introduced a bill that would use Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) as leverage to deter Chinese coercion and military aggression against Taiwan.

Yesterday, President Biden signed into law H.R. 4004, the “United States-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act,” which "approves" the June 1, 2023 trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan, and establishes requirements for consulting with Congress on future trade agreements between the two.

Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would expand the scope for reviewing Chinese investments in the United States to include all real estate purchases that are for the purpose of establishing a business, and, at least formally, ties this new restriction to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The legislation still needs to be considered by the Senate; legal and political impact unclear.

Members of Congress continue to push back against the current de minimis rules that allow products sold for US$800 or less to avoid duties and certain customs requirements.

Legislation may only have limited impact on Biden administration approach to Taiwan trade.

Earlier this week, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act, which they characterize as "bipartisan legislation to strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws and ensure they remain effective tools to fight back against unfair trade practices and