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China Trade Relations Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-1504| House 
| Updated: 2/21/2025
Christopher H. Smith

Christopher H. Smith

Republican Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (2)
Thomas P. Tiffany (Republican)Andrew Ogles (Republican)

Ways and Means Committee, Rules Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
The "China Trade Relations Act of 2025" aims to fundamentally alter the trade relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China. It immediately withdraws normal trade relations (NTR) treatment for products from China, effectively reverting its trade status to the conditions that existed prior to its accession to the World Trade Organization. This means that future NTR treatment can only be extended under the more stringent provisions of the Trade Act of 1974, specifically Chapter 1 of Title IV, as it was in effect before China joined the WTO. The bill significantly expands the criteria for China's ineligibility for NTR, U.S. government credits, or commercial agreements, by amending Section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 to include a broad range of human rights and economic concerns. These new conditions require China to address issues such as freedom of emigration , compliance with the 1992 memorandum on prison labor products , adherence to International Labour Organization standards, and the cessation of operating "vocational training and education centers" or concentration camps. Furthermore, China must cease intimidating its nationals abroad, protect Tibet's cultural heritage, and stop systematic economic espionage and intellectual property theft against the United States. Additional human rights requirements include making significant progress on adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, eliminating torture, releasing political and religious prisoners, ensuring humane treatment of prisoners, and ending organ harvesting without consent and forced abortion or sterilization procedures. For China to regain NTR, the President must submit a report to Congress, twice annually, certifying that China is not in violation of any of these expanded conditions, though a 12-month waiver is possible if it promotes the bill's objectives, subject to Congressional disapproval.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-8610
China Trade Relations Act of 2020

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-7193
China Trade Relations Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-638
China Trade Relations Act of 2023
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced in House
Feb 21, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-8610
    China Trade Relations Act of 2020


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-7193
    China Trade Relations Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-638
    China Trade Relations Act of 2023


  • February 21, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • February 21, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Foreign Trade and International Finance

China Trade Relations Act of 2025

USA119th CongressHR-1504| House 
| Updated: 2/21/2025
The "China Trade Relations Act of 2025" aims to fundamentally alter the trade relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China. It immediately withdraws normal trade relations (NTR) treatment for products from China, effectively reverting its trade status to the conditions that existed prior to its accession to the World Trade Organization. This means that future NTR treatment can only be extended under the more stringent provisions of the Trade Act of 1974, specifically Chapter 1 of Title IV, as it was in effect before China joined the WTO. The bill significantly expands the criteria for China's ineligibility for NTR, U.S. government credits, or commercial agreements, by amending Section 402 of the Trade Act of 1974 to include a broad range of human rights and economic concerns. These new conditions require China to address issues such as freedom of emigration , compliance with the 1992 memorandum on prison labor products , adherence to International Labour Organization standards, and the cessation of operating "vocational training and education centers" or concentration camps. Furthermore, China must cease intimidating its nationals abroad, protect Tibet's cultural heritage, and stop systematic economic espionage and intellectual property theft against the United States. Additional human rights requirements include making significant progress on adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, eliminating torture, releasing political and religious prisoners, ensuring humane treatment of prisoners, and ending organ harvesting without consent and forced abortion or sterilization procedures. For China to regain NTR, the President must submit a report to Congress, twice annually, certifying that China is not in violation of any of these expanded conditions, though a 12-month waiver is possible if it promotes the bill's objectives, subject to Congressional disapproval.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-8610
China Trade Relations Act of 2020

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-7193
China Trade Relations Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-638
China Trade Relations Act of 2023
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced in House
Feb 21, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-8610
    China Trade Relations Act of 2020


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-7193
    China Trade Relations Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-638
    China Trade Relations Act of 2023


  • February 21, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • February 21, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Christopher H. Smith

Christopher H. Smith

Republican Representative

New Jersey

Cosponsors (2)
Thomas P. Tiffany (Republican)Andrew Ogles (Republican)

Ways and Means Committee, Rules Committee

Foreign Trade and International Finance

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted