Trump’s Commerce Nominee Calls China World’s ‘Most Protectionist’ Nation’

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to head the U.S. Commerce Department says nations that do not trade fairly should be "severely punished." Wilbur Ross Jr. was speaking to the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday and called China the "most protectionist" country in the world. During his confirmation hearing, he also said Beijing talks about fair trade, but its practices fall short of its rhetoric. He told senators that he is not anti-trade, but favors "sensible" trade that benefits U.S. workers and companies. He accused China of unfairly "dumping" large quantities of steel and aluminum on world markets at prices below the cost of production. Ross said he was "horrified" when he found that Washington fails to collect "billions" of dollars in fines imposed on nations that violate trade rules. If he is confirmed by the Senate as Commerce Secretary, Ross is expected to play a larger-than-usual role in U.S. trade issues. He said examining trade policy with Canada and Mexico will be a "very early topic." Ross would head the Commerce Department which has 47,000 employers across the United States and around the world. The department is supposed to bolster the economy and support U.S. business. It does that by forecasting the weather, gathering and analyzing economic data, taking the census and many other tasks. Ross said he is probably the only prospective Commerce secretary who once held a temporary job as a census taker, which left him with respect for the work of the agency. Committee Chairman John Thune says Ross brings "decades of business, entrepreneurial, and civic experience" to the position. Supporters say Ross saved U.S. jobs in coal, steel and textile industries. Critics say Ross also outsourced jobs to low wage nations and laid-off American workers, and his hearing was briefly interrupted by protestors. He also has been criticized for the 2006 death of 12 workers at a coal mine he owned in West Virginia. The Sago coal mine had a history of numerous safety violations. Ross is a billionaire who made a fortune buying up failing companies, improving their financial performance, and often selling them at a profit. He is 79, and was educated at top universities, but has little government experience.