Senate unanimously confirms Katherine Tai as US Trade Representative

In a historic vote with no opposition, the US Senate confirmed the US President Joe Biden’s lead trade negotiator, Katherine Tai on Wednesday, marking a rare situation in the country’s political sphere.  

Tai, who will soon be taking over the title of US Trade Representative, promised to eliminate the roadblocks put in the diplomatic relations of the US under the leadership of former US President Donald Trump, who had glorified his “America First” policy, reported AFP. 

However, the former advisor to the various US lawmakers, who worked on economical matters, acknowledged the importance of tariffs as a tool for effective negotiation and promised to use them for deliberations with China. 

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The statements made by Tai were one of the first hints that Biden’s administration did not have an immediate roll-back plan for the US policy for China. 

The leader of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, Scott Paul said that the alliance was in support of Tai’s appointment due to their belief of her being “qualified to represent US trade interests.” 

Paul affirmed in the statement, “Many challenges await Ambassador Tai, including the fraught U.S.-China trade relationship, reforming the World Trade Organization, pushing back on unfair trade practices, shaping a worker-centered trade policy, and implementing the USMCA”, reported AFP. 

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Tai, a graduate of Yale University, reiterated in her hearing that she aims to smoothen business-related disputes which hampered trans-Atlantic ties of the US, like subsidies for Airbus and Boeing, aircraft manufacturing giants. 

Tai, who has a native connection to China, vowed to bring in commitment efforts from China in alignment with a trade accord put in place in January 2020, which attracted bilateral tariffs, reported AFP. 

In a carefully-worded statement, Tai said she prefers a “holistic review on China,” while commenting on America’s trade policy. 

The newly approved US Trade Representative shares a view with Robert Lighthizer, the former US Trade official, about reforming the World Trade Organisation.