US President Barack Obama has created an interagency government office to investigate unfair global trade practices by countries including China, Bloomberg reported. The Interagency Trade Enforcement Center will sit within the US Trade Representative office, and include staff drawn from the departments of Commerce, Agriculture, Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury, as well as US intelligence agencies. “We are doubling down on the administration’s commitment to strong trade enforcement,” said Ron Kirk, the US Trade Representative. “We’ll continue to press our trading partners” to comply with World Trade Organization rules “and abide by obligations.” The White House budget submitted to Congress has requested US$26 million in funding for the office to include at least 50 staff. The US has filed five complaints against China at the WTO since Obama took office in 2009.
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