Donald Trump is going HARD at China ….
This is just another of his back and forth with that country which he needs for dealing with North Korea something he wants…And a country that does a lot of trade with America…A country that owns a good amount American real estate , also….
His people are talking to the Chinese but they aren’t going back down on certain things that aare seen efforts to undermine America, even if Trump heaps praise on the countries leader ….
This is just Trump working his effort to ‘deal’ despite the screaming media headlines…
His actions are making Democratic lawmakers happy….
The White House on Friday announced it is slapping tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods in response to alleged intellectual property theft, another escalation in President Donald Trump’s trade-related acts against allies and rivals alike.
“This situation is no longer sustainable. China has, for example, long been engaging in several unfair practices related to the acquisition of American intellectual property and technology,” President Donald Trump said in a statement released Friday morning that formally announced 25 percent import penalties on some Chinese-made products.
Since taking office, Trump has publicly touted his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a reflection of his apparent belief that foreign policy is in large part dependent on the personal relationships between heads of state. He did the same Friday, saying his “friendship with Xi” and U.S.-China relations “are both very important to me.”
“Trade between our nations, however, has been very unfair, for a very long time,” Trump said Friday. “China has, for example, long been engaging in several unfair practices related to the acquisition of American intellectual property and technology.”
The new import penalties will cover what the White House on Friday described as items that “contain industrially significant technologies” it contends are part of Beijing’s plan to “dominate the emerging high-technology industries that will drive future economic growth for China, but hurt economic growth for the United States and many other countries.”
“The United States can no longer tolerate losing our technology and intellectual property through unfair economic practices,” Trump said in the statement.
Senior congressional Democrats have called for the Trump administration to be tougher on China…..
….from Axios…
- The Wall Street Journal adds that the decision follows a 90-minute meeting yesterday “of senior White House officials, national-security officials and … Treasury, Commerce Department, U.S. Trade Representative’s Office.”
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday that China and the U.S. faced a choice between cooperation and confrontation, per the Journal.
We’ve told you that Trump’s one constant belief over 30 years has been that the U.S. is ripped off on trade and should retaliate against foreign governments.
A source with long exposure to Trump’s tirades about trade said:
- “It’s not rhetoric, it’s not for show, he believes it.”
- “When it comes to compulsory tech licensing and cyber theft, to which [today’s] tariffs are responding, … [h]e’s … less afraid to be antagonistic toward them than past leaders. He also has the cushion of a very strong economy.”
- “[T]his comes at an important time in the North Korea negotiations, when photo ops are giving way to serious discussions. We’re not dropping the maximum pressure campaign, and Trump has made clear that he’s willing to link trade issues to national security concessions.”
- A key point: “If China continues to help with North Korea, you could definitely see him walk back some tariffs.”…..
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