U.S. Aluminum Industry Group Calls for Tougher USMCA Rules Against China
Since 2016, members have invested over $11 billion in U.S. operations.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Aluminum Association President and CEO Charles Johnson called for decisive action to protect the North American aluminum market during testimony at the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) first joint review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Johnson emphasized the need to curb the surge of subsidized Chinese aluminum entering the region and to support American jobs, investment, and national security.
“A strengthened USMCA must deliver a level playing field for North American manufacturers and workers,” Johnson stated. He highlighted that imports of Chinese aluminum coil into Mexico have jumped nearly 500% year-to-date compared to 2017, equating to the output of a major U.S. rolling mill.
The Aluminum Association proposed five key steps for a renegotiated USMCA:
1. Implement an Aluminum Import Monitoring (AIM) system in Mexico.
2. Harmonize aluminum tariffs across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
3. Strengthen rules of origin to prevent non-market aluminum from qualifying for preferential treatment.
4. Protect the free flow of aluminum scrap within North America.
5. Apply Section 232 tariffs to downstream products using unfairly traded metal.
Since 2016, members have invested over $11 billion in U.S. operations. Johnson warned that loopholes in the current agreement risk American jobs and production, urging a more enforceable and fair USMCA to safeguard the industry.