ManyUnitedStatescompanieshave,unfortunately,madethesearchforlegalprotectionfromimportcompetitionintoamajorlineofwork.Since1980theUnitedStatesinternationalTradeCommission(IT C)hasreceivedabout280complaintsallegingdamagefromimportsthatbenefitfromsubsidiesbyforeigngovernments.Another340chargethatforeigncompanies“dumped”theirproductsintheeUnitedStatesat“lessthanfairvalue.”Evenwhennounfairpracticesarealleged,thesimpleclaimthatanindustryhasbeeninjuredbyimportsissufficientgroundstoseekrelief. Contrarytothegeneralimpression,thisquestforimportreliefhashurtmorecompaniesthanithashelped.Ascorporationsbegintofunctionglobally,theydevelopanintricatewebofmarketing,production,andresearchrelationships.Thecomplexityoftheserelationshipsmakesitunlikelythatasystemofimportrelieflawswillmeetthestrategicneedsofalltheunitsunderthesameparentcompany,№.SupposeaUnitedStates-ownedcompanyestablishesanoverseasplanttomanufactureaproductwhileitscompetitormakesthesameproductintheUnitedStates.Ifthecompetitorcanproveinjuryfromtheimports-andthattheUnitedStatescompanyreceivedasubsidyfromaforeigngovernmenttobuilditsplantabroad-theUnitedStatescompany’sproductswillbeuncompetitiveintheUnitedStates,sincetheywouldbesubjecttoduties. PerhapsthemostbrazeneaseoccurredwhentheITCinvestigatedallegationsthatCanadiancompanieswereinjuringtheUnitedStatessaltindustrybydumpingrocksalt,usedtode-iceroads.ThebizarreaspectofthecomplaintwasthataforeignconglomeratewithUnitedStatesoperationswascryingforhelpagainstaUnitedStatescompanywithforeignoperations.The“UnitedStates”companyclaiminginjurywasasubsidiaryofaDutchconglomerate,whilethe“Canadian”companiesincludedasubsidiaryofaChicagofirmthatwasthesecond-largestdomesticproducerofrocksalt. Thepassageischieflyconcernedwith_____.
A.arguing against the increased internationalization of United States corporations B.warning that the application of laws affecting trade frequently has unintended consequences C.demonstrating that foreign-based firms receive more subsidies from their governments than United States firms receive from the United States government D.advocating the use of trade restrictions for “dumped” products but not for other imports正确答案B
