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Senator says rejoining TPP would send message to China

A South Dakota Senator says tariffs are NOT they only way to address China’s unfair trading practices.

John Thune spoke to farm broadcasters in Washington DC on Wednesday…

“If you really want to send a message to China, if you want to pressure China, get back in to TPP,” he says.

The Senate Ag Committee member says programs to compensate farmers if Chinese tariffs are implemented don’t make sense.

“The focus of our policy makers and the administration needs to be opening markets and so what I’ve tried to convey to the administration and to the President himself is that our farmers really don’t want to go down that path,” he says.

President Trump recently floated the idea of rejoining the Trans Pacific Partnership but said it would need to be a better deal for the U.S. Thune says rejoining the TPP would be a better move than using revenues from tariffs to compensate farmers.

Audio: John Thune, South Dakota Senator