In new reports released today, a coalition of groups including the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) made the case for action on China's illegal subsidies and currency manipulation, which have unduly harmed the U.S. auto parts sector.

More than 1.6 million U.S. auto parts jobs are at risk due to China's predatory trade practices, with more than 400,000 U.S. auto supply jobs lost over the last decade.

Following a Capitol Hill press conference, a number of key news outlets covered the new reports, which AAM intends to use in efforts to urge action by the Obama Administration.

Reuters correspondent Doug Palmer quoted Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) on the "need to stand up to the bully on the block."  At the Capitol Hill press conference, Stabenow said China "continues to take our lunch money and we need to stop that."  Palmer also cited AAM Executive Director Scott Paul's view that the auto parts case presents a new litmus test for the president.  In the 'State of the Union,' President Obama had vowed to step up efforts to rebuild U.S. manufacturing ,to which Paul responded:

"Today, we're providing the president with his first opportunity to deliver on the promise to guarantee a level playing field."

In the Detroit News, David Shepardson said "U.S. jobs are at risk unless China's illegal trading practices are curtailed."  Shepardson also quoted AAM's Scott Paul:

"China's blatant use of illegal government subsidies and a web of predatory trade practices on a massive scale are undercutting companies in the U.S. auto supply chain.  It's essential that federal action be taken to challenge these abuses before they completely undermine the job recovery underway in the U.S. auto industry."

The Los Angeles Times' Matt Stevens focused on the more than 70,000 jobs in California's auto supply chain that are at risk.  Stevens quoted Scott Paul on China's predatory trade efforts:

“...these practices have had, and continue to have, a detrimental effect on employment and competitiveness in a key U.S. industry — the auto supply industry.”

Agence France Presse's Paul Handley took a wide view of the reports' potential impact in pressing for trade action. Handley described efforts of AAM and others as "a campaign to press for trade action against Beijing" in order to challenge "Chinese subsidies [that] threaten to reverse the comeback of the US auto industry."  Handley quoted Paul on the potential for governmental action:

"It's essential that federal action be taken to challenge these abuses before they completely undermine the job recovery under way in the US auto industry."

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