WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers asked the chief executives of six major auto parts retailers whether they bought products from a Chinese company that could evade U.S. tariffs, according to letters seen by Reuters on Friday.
Rep. John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs a House panel on China, and the committee’s top Democrat, Raja Krishnamoorthi, along with other lawmakers, called on AutoZone (NYSE:), O’Reilly Auto Parts, Genuine Parts, Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:), First Brands Group and Factory Motor Parts addressed concerns that they are purchasing parts from China’s Qingdao Sunsong and its U.S.-based subsidiary.
The lawmakers, who also include Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and Bill Cassidy, a Republican, expressed concern that Qingdao may be illegally transshipping Chinese goods through Thailand to the United States to evade U.S. tariffs.