U.S. planned port docking fees on China-linked ships set to backfire

(Cartoon by Ma Hongliang)

Reuters recently reported that the U.S. government is planning to charge fees for docking at U.S. ports on any ship that is part of a fleet that includes Chinese-built or Chinese-flagged vessels.

According to the report, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is drafting the executive order in a bid to resuscitate domestic shipbuilding and weaken China's grip on the global shipping industry.

This is a total lose-lose decision. If Washington moves forward with port fees and additional tariffs on cargo handling equipment, it will drive up global shipping costs and disrupt the stability of global supply chains. The move will also fuel inflation in the U.S. and harm U.S. consumers and businesses. The American side should observe multilateral rules and uphold the international economic and trade system.