South Africa has asked the United States to exempt it from proposed tariffs linked to a U.S. investigation into the enforcement of bans on imports of products made with forced labor in dozens of countries.

A South African delegation led by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition appeared before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Washington this week as part of a Section 301 investigation examining whether at least 60 economies adequately enforce bans on imports of goods made with forced labor.

Trade Relations

Trade relations between Washington and Pretoria have become increasingly strained with repeated tensions over trade and foreign policy in recent years, including disagreements over tariffs, South Africa’s domestic policies and differing positions on several conflicts.

South Africa has long benefited from duty-free access to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a trade program that has supported billions of dollars in exports from sub-Saharan Africa.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.