By Congressman Markwayne Mullin
By now, we all know that President Trump is a negotiator. At the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires last weekend, the president showcased his deal making skills in yet another trade negotiation on behalf of the American people.
After the first round of U.S. tariffs, China targeted our agriculture products. One U.S. farm feeds 165 people annually in the United States and abroad. Oklahoma is home to over 77,000 farms on 34 million acres and plays a crucial role in food production for the country and in turn, the world. Our country, with its advanced infrastructure, has the ability to feed even more of the world’s population.
Starting on January 1, 2019, the Trump Administration was set to enact the next round of tariff increases on China with a 25 percent tariff on $250 billion in Chinese goods. However, in talks with Chinese President Xi at the G20, both presidents agreed to delay tariffs for 90 days so trade conversations and negotiations might continue.
This development is a welcomed one. As long as our countries continue discussions, we can inch closer and closer to fair and balanced trade. When I was negotiating business deals, I walked into every deal asking for 100 percent. I would negotiate down to 70 percent and when my take dropped to 69 percent, I walked away from the table. President Trump has a similar negotiation strategy and I believe it is one that will secure the best deal possible for the American people.
The future of our country’s trade deals may be uncertain, however I am confident that as long as the president is holding productive conversations with other countries, we are in a good place. The continued discussions with China also gives the U.S. an opportunity to negotiate a trade deal that could open the door for greater agricultural sales to China. Prior to President Trump, America’s generosity—and its farmers’ generosity—has been taken for granted. That ends here.
