EXIM is helping American workers and keeping China at bay

(The Hill, Washington, 17 December 2020) [An example of political influences on EXIM vs the OECD's purely economic free market level playing field.] One year ago, under President Trump’s leadership, Congress came together across party lines to re-authorize EXIM, our nation’s export credit agency. As our great economic resurgence continues and American companies battle the setbacks caused by COVID-19, that decision looks even better. American companies and their workers face an unlevel playing field, where countries like China stack the deck. As just one part of the Chinese Communist Party’s multi-faceted Belt and Road initiative to achieve global dominance, its government offers vast amounts of export finance to incentivize foreign companies to purchase Chinese goods and services. The country’s export financing is estimated to equal 90% of what is provided by all G7 countries combined. While the number of export credit agencies like EXIM has grown to 115 around the world, up from 85 only four years ago, China’s expansive export and trade-related activity far exceeds that of other countries. The reauthorization law charges the agency with a goal of reserving no less than 20% of its total financing authority — $27 billion out of $135 billion — for support of U.S. exports to neutralize export credit or other subsidies provided by China or other covered countries.