Former House Transportation Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio has sounded the alarm over China’s control of the shipping industry, warning that the Asian superpower could “weaponize” its dominance against the United States.
Currently, China controls a vast proportion of shipping vessels and equipment, while the United States has lagged behind in its control of shipping.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., DeFazio criticized the decision to grant China full trade rights at the end of the 20th century, saying it was a “mistake.”
During that period, the United States committed to a series of free trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Zone (NAFTA) agreement which vastly limited U.S. tariffs on goods produced in Canada and Mexico….