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4/16/2021

Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United St…

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign
Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States
April 16, 2021

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today delivered to Congress the
semiannual Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading
Partners of the United States. In this Report, Treasury reviewed and assessed the policies of
20 major U.S. trading partners during the four quarters through December 2020.
The Report concluded that both Vietnam and Switzerland continue to meet all three criteria
under the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act) during the
period under review. Additionally, the report finds that Taiwan met all three of the 2015 Act
criteria for the period under review. Treasury has conducted enhanced analysis of Vietnam,
Switzerland, and Taiwan’s macroeconomic and foreign exchange policies, as reflected in the
Report. Treasury will continue its enhanced engagement with Vietnam and Switzerland, and
Treasury will commence enhanced engagement with Taiwan. This engagement includes
urging the development of a plan with specific actions to address the underlying causes of
currency undervaluation and external imbalances.
Under the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (the 1988 Act), Treasury has
determined that there is insu icient evidence to make a finding that Vietnam, Switzerland, or
Taiwan manipulates its exchange rate for either of the purposes referenced in the 1988 Act.
Nevertheless, consistent with the 1988 Act, Treasury considers that its continued enhanced
engagements with Switzerland and Vietnam, as well as a more thorough assessment of
developments in the global economy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, will enable
Treasury to better determine whether either of these economies intervened in currency
markets in 2020 to prevent e ective balance of payments adjustment or gain an unfair
competitive advantage in trade. For Taiwan, Treasury will initiate enhanced engagement in
accordance with the 2015 Act and expects that engagement will help Treasury to make the
determination required under the 1988 Act for the period of review.
No other major U.S. trading partner met the relevant 1988 or 2015 legislative criteria for
currency manipulation or enhanced analysis during the review period. Treasury urged China
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0131

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4/16/2021

Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United St…

to improve transparency regarding its foreign exchange intervention activities, the policy
objectives of its exchange rate management regime, the relationship between the central
bank and foreign exchange activities of the state-owned banks, and its activities in the
o shore RMB market.
“Treasury is working tirelessly to address e orts by foreign economies to artificially
manipulate their currency values that put American workers at an unfair disadvantage,”
Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen said today.
Treasury found that eleven economies warrant placement on Treasury’s “Monitoring List” of
major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices: China, Japan,
Korea, Germany, Ireland, Italy, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Mexico. All except
Ireland and Mexico were included in the December 2020 Report.
Today’s Report is submitted to Congress pursuant to the Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act of 1988, 22 U.S.C. § 5305, and Section 701 of the Trade Facilitation and
Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, 19 U.S.C. § 4421.
Find the full report here.
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https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0131

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