Former President Ford made an excellent point when he said Americans will pay a steep price unless Congress normalizes trade with China on a permanent basis.
China has normal status.
That means neither country has tariffs and quotas so unreasonable as to eliminate trade. But China's status will expire unless renewed every year by Congress. Ford made his statements during a joint conference with former President Carter to promote a bill that would drop the annual vote requirement. The Senate is expected to pass it overwhelmingly, but a close vote is likely in the House. China's economy is growing rapidly and eventually may be the world's largest.