According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post report dated July 23, a hearing was held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs on July 22. Some members proposed additional restrictions on Chinese shipbuilding companies, including imposing tariffs on ships built in China, charging port fees, and even sanctioning Chinese state-owned shipbuilding enterprises.
Members of both parties claimed at the hearing that China's dominant position in the commercial shipbuilding sector poses a "threat" to American economic and national security.
"We and China's gap is getting bigger and bigger," said California Democratic Assemblymember Amy Beare at a hearing, "We can't catch up with China alone."
However, experts warn that punitive measures cannot replace industrial capabilities. Matthew Funerol from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in the United States points out that if the United States does not simultaneously increase its own shipbuilding capacity, imposing additional tariffs or port fees on Chinese ships could instead drive up the costs for American importers and consumers.
June 30th, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. Inside the Nanjing Jinling Shipyard of Nanjing Investment & Industry, workers are hurriedly completing orders for ship construction. IC Photo
The Chinese side has previously stated that measures such as imposing port fees and additional tariffs on cargo handling equipment harm both parties. These measures not only drive up global shipping costs and disrupt the stability of global supply chains, but also increase inflation pressures in the United States, harming the interests of American consumers and businesses. Ultimately, these measures will not help to revitalize the US shipbuilding industry.
In recent years, the United States has continuously exaggerated the so-called "economic and national security risks" posed by China's shipbuilding industry. According to U.S. government investigations and research by CSIS, China currently accounts for more than half of the global commercial ship construction volume, while the proportion of the United States is less than 1%.
Chinese shipbuilding companies have continued to receive global orders in recent years. According to a report by CSIS, the tonnage of merchant ships built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation in 2024 has already surpassed the total output of the American shipbuilding industry since 1945.
On July 23, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released statistical data on China's shipbuilding industry for the first half of 2026. The data shows that China's completed ships, new orders, and outstanding orders—three key indicators—have reached record highs, continuing to lead the global market.
In order to catch up with China, the U.S. Congress is considering improving its domestic shipbuilding capabilities through financial support, expanding the scale of American merchant ships, and strengthening shipyard construction and talent training. At the same time, they are seeking assistance from shipbuilding powers such as South Korea and Japan. However, South Korean experts point out that South Korea itself faces labor shortages, and its ability to provide support to the United States is limited.
