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      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
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      "date": "2019-03-20",
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      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "The size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China has been and continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations. President Trump and some Members of Congress view the deficit as a sign of unfair economic policies in China. The Trump Administration has reportedly asked China to develop a plan to reduce the bilateral trade deficit by $100 billion. In the 116th Congress, the Fair Trade with China Enforcement Act (H.R. 704 and S. 2) and the United States Reciprocal Trade Act (H.R. 764) mention U.S. trade deficits as a reason for the proposed legislation. \nThere is a large and growing difference between the official trade statistics released by the United States and the People\u2019s Republic of China. According to the United States, the 2018 bilateral merchandise trade deficit with China was $419.2 billion. According to China, its trade surplus with the United States was $323.3 billion\u2014a $95.9 billion difference.\nThis report examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. This comparison reveals that more than 94% of the difference in the value of China\u2019s exports to the United States in 2018 was attributable to five types of goods. Those five types of goods, in order of the size of the discrepancy, were electrical machinery, machinery, toys and sporting goods, optical and medical equipment, and footwear.\nThe second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. The literature reveals that the leading sources of the discrepancies are differences in the list value of shipments when they leave China and when they enter the United States, and differing attributions of origin and destination of Chinese exports that are transshipped through a third location (such as Hong Kong) before arriving in the United States.\nIn light of the differences in the official bilateral merchandise trade data, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) established a statistical working group in 2004. The working group has released two reconciliation studies (in 2009 and 2012) to identify the causes of the statistical discrepancies. The Working Group stated that the adjustments contained in the two studies are not meant to imply errors in the official statistics of either country. \nThis report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States.",
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      "date": "2018-04-23",
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      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "The size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China has been and continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations. President Trump and some Members of Congress view the deficit as a sign of unfair economic policies in China. The Trump Administration has reportedly asked China to develop a plan to reduce the bilateral trade deficit by $100 billion. Legislation has been introduced in the 115th Congress, including the Balanced Trade Act of 2017 (H.R. 2766) and the Trade Enforcement and Trade Deficit Reduction Act (H.R. 2734), that would require the Trump Administration to take steps to reduce substantial bilateral trade deficits. \nThere is a large and growing difference between the official trade statistics released by the United States and the People\u2019s Republic of China. According to the United States, the 2017 bilateral merchandise trade deficit with China was $375.3 billion. According to China, its trade surplus with the United States was $275.8 billion\u2014a $99.5 billion difference.\nThis report examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. This comparison reveals that nearly 90% of the difference in the value of China\u2019s exports to the United States in 2016 was attributable to five types of goods. Those five types of goods, in order of the size of the discrepancy, were electrical machinery, machinery, toys and sporting goods, footwear, and optical and medical equipment.\nThe second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. The literature reveals that the leading sources of the discrepancies are differences in the list value of shipments when they leave China and when they enter the United States, and differing attributions of origin and destination of Chinese exports that are transshipped through a third location (such as Hong Kong) before arriving in the United States.\nIn light of the differences in the official bilateral merchandise trade data, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) established a statistical working group in 2004. The working group has released two reconciliation studies (in 2009 and 2012) to identify the causes of the statistical discrepancies. The Working Group stated that the adjustments contained in the two studies are not meant to imply errors in the official statistics of either country. \nThis report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States.",
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      "id": 460527,
      "date": "2017-04-17",
      "retrieved": "2017-08-22T15:08:24.820025",
      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "The size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China has been and continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations. President Trump and some Members of Congress view the deficit as a sign of unfair economic policies in China. In previous Congresses, legislation was introduced seeking to redress the perceived competitive disadvantage China\u2019s policies have created for U.S. exporters and import-sensitive firms. \nThere is a large and growing difference between the official trade statistics released by the United States and the People\u2019s Republic of China. According to the United States, the 2016 bilateral merchandise trade deficit with China was $347.0 billion. According to China, its trade surplus with the United States was $256.2 billion\u2014a $90.8 billion difference.\nThis report examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. This comparison reveals that nearly 90% of the difference in the value of China\u2019s exports to the United States in 2016 was attributable to five types of goods. Those five types of goods, in order of the size of the discrepancy, were electrical machinery, machinery, toys and sporting goods, footwear, and optical and medical equipment.\nThe second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. The literature reveals that the leading sources of the discrepancies are differences in the list value of shipments when they leave China and when they enter the United States, and differing attributions of origin and destination of Chinese exports that are transshipped through a third location (such as Hong Kong) before arriving in the United States.\nIn light of the differences in the official bilateral merchandise trade data, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) established a statistical working group in 2004. The working group has released two reconciliation studies (in 2009 and 2012) to identify the causes of the statistical discrepancies. The Working Group stated that the adjustments contained in the two studies are not meant to imply errors in the official statistics of either country. \nThis report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States.",
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      "date": "2016-03-24",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-06T16:54:52.655403",
      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "The size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China has been and continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations. Some Members of Congress view the deficit as a sign of unfair economic policies in China, and have introduced legislation seeking to redress the perceived competitive disadvantage China\u2019s policies have created for U.S. exporters and import-sensitive firms. \nThere is a large and growing difference between the official trade statistics released by the United States and the People\u2019s Republic of China. According to the United States, the 2015 bilateral trade deficit with China was $367.6 billion. According to China, its trade surplus with the United States was $260.9 billion\u2014a $106.6 billion difference.\nThis paper examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. This comparison reveals that over 90% of the difference in the value of China\u2019s exports to the United States in 2014 was attributable to five types of goods. Those five types of goods, in order of the size of the discrepancy, were electrical machinery; machinery; toys and sporting goods; footwear; and leather articles.\nThe second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. The literature reveals that the main sources of the discrepancies are differences in the list value of shipments when they leave China and when they enter the United States, and differing attributions of origin and destination of Chinese exports that are transshipped through a third location (such as Hong Kong) before arriving in the United States.\nIn light of the differences in the official bilateral merchandise trade data, the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) established a statistical working group in 2004. The working group has released two reconciliation studies (in 2009 and 2012) to identify the causes of the statistical discrepancies. The Working Group stated that the adjustments contained in the two studies are not meant to imply errors in the official statistics of either country. \nThis report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States.",
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      "id": "RS22640_2014Mar31",
      "date": "2014-03-31",
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      "title": "What's the Difference?--Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "This report discusses the size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China that continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations.",
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          "id": "Trade",
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          "id": "International affairs",
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          "id": "Foreign economic relations -- China -- U.S.",
          "name": "Foreign economic relations -- China -- U.S."
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          "id": "Foreign economic relations -- U.S. -- China",
          "name": "Foreign economic relations -- U.S. -- China"
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      "date": "2012-02-24",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference?\u2014Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
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      "id": "RS22640_2011Feb18",
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      "title": "What's the Difference?-Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "This paper examines the differences in trade data from the United States and China in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures at the two digit level using the Harmonized System to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. The second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies, including an October 2009 joint China-U.S. report on statistical discrepancies in merchandise trade data.",
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          "name": "Foreign trade - China"
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      "date": "2010-04-21",
      "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21",
      "title": "What's the Difference?--Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "This report provides a comparison of U.S. and Chinese trade data. The U.S. trade deficit with the People's Republic of China (China) remains a major source of bilateral tension. Members of Congress and other U.S. government officials often point to the bilateral trade imbalance as evidence that China is not competing fairly in the global market.",
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      "id": "RS22640_2015May04",
      "date": "2009-05-04",
      "retrieved": "2015-06-15T14:46:40",
      "title": "What's the Difference?--Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "The size of the U.S. bilateral trade deficit with China has been and continues to be an important issue in bilateral trade relations. Some Members of Congress view the deficit as a sign of unfair economic policies in China, and have introduced legislation seeking to redress the perceived competitive disadvantage China's policies have created for U.S. exporters. This paper examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations.",
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      "date": "2009-03-27",
      "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21",
      "title": "What's the Difference?--Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": "This report provides a comparison of U.S. and Chinese trade data.  U.S. trade with the People's Republic of China (China) is becoming increasingly contentious as the U.S. bilateral trade deficit rises. Debate over this trade deficit is hampered because of disagreement between the two countries on how large the deficit actually is. According to official U.S. figures, China has surpassed Canada as the largest supplier of U.S. imports.",
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      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc818721/",
      "id": "RS22640_2007Apr10",
      "date": "2007-04-10",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "What\u2019s the Difference? \u2014 Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
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        },
        {
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Asian Affairs",
    "Economic Policy",
    "Foreign Affairs"
  ]
}