PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine’s members of Congress are urging President Donald Trump’s administration not to place tariffs on seafood imports from China.
Maine’s Congressional delegation of independent Sen. Angus King, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree and Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to Trump on the subject Thursday. The lawmakers say they are concerned the Chinese would retaliate with a similar tariff on U.S. seafood exports.
They say that could be devastating to Maine’s lobster industry, which sends millions of dollars in lobsters to China, a growing market for the seafood.
The lawmakers’ letter referenced a proposal from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to place a tariff on some Chinese imports as a way of remedying inadequate intellectual property rights enforcement in the Asian country.
