Extremist anti-China lawmakers accuse "unlawful tariff avoidance" in letter to Commerce Secretary urging investigation of Chinese company Anker Innovations

Two bipartisan leaders of the U.S. House Select Committee on the U.S.-China Strategic Competition sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Rutherford, requesting an investigation into Anker Innovations Technology, a manufacturer of electronic products and mobile phone accessories in China, citing the company's unfair pricing and potential unlawful evasion of U.S. tariffs.

According to letters seen by Bloomberg, the lawmakers accused Anker Innovations of using "illegal means" to evade U.S. tariffs, including misclassifying product codes and illegally routing products through Southeast Asian countries to avoid trade taxes. Anker Innovations' stock fell nearly 8% on Monday, marking its largest drop since April.

The U.S. House select committee sent the letter to Rutherford last Friday. In the letter, the committee's Republican chairman Muller and Democratic vice-chair Krishnamurthy urged Rutherford to direct the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate the company's practices. The lawmakers also claimed that Anker Innovations received at least $12 million in subsidies in 2023, allowing it to "unfairly" enter the U.S. market.

Anker Innovations said via email that the company "has initiated an internal review process and will hire U.S. consultants to verify the facts and assess relevant compliance issues." The company added, "We will provide further explanations to the relevant authorities and the public when the necessary verification is completed."

It is understood that Anker Innovations has accumulated a loyal fan base among U.S. electronics consumers due to its affordable chargers and power banks. Apple sells Anker Innovations products in its stores and certifies many of them as meeting Apple performance standards.

Under the leadership of a former Google engineer, Anker Innovations was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's Growth Enterprise Market in August 2020 and is currently seeking an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong. The company did not respond to an email request for comment over the weekend.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843966600846348/

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