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United States President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, February 2, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci)
New tariffs of 10% on products imported from China, worth $ 200 billion, announced by the government of US President Donald Trump, threaten to d & # 39; further intensify a trade war that has set off all the alarms in the American agricultural sector.
Washington and Beijing have been stranded in recent days in a tariff spiral with which Trump is trying to bring down Chinese trade barriers to a tariff rift, while his counterpart Xi Jinping punishes his opponent's political base. the grip of the agrarian sector.
Economic conflict is a source of concern, particularly in the traditionally agricultural states of the United States, which historically have been the chief fishing grounds for Republicans.
"I am very, very concerned about the subject: If (Trump) goes beyond the line, it will be catastrophic, In fact, in my state, for soybeans and corn, it is catastrophic", said Republican Senator Iowa Chuck Grbadley, speaking on CNN.
Trump, who is currently taking part in Brussels. At the summit of NATO Heads of State and Government, he used social networks to convey a message of tranquility to the agricultural sector.
"I'm in Brussels, but I'm still thinking about our farmers, the (sale of) soybeans fell by 50% between 2012 and my choice.The farmers had a bad time for 15 years," said Trump, without citing sources, in a message posted on his personal Twitter account, which concluded with a clear promise: "And we will win!"
Xi Jinping to the first battery of tariffs of the White House, which came into effect last Friday and aimed directly at the Chinese industrial sector, has been levying levies of 25% on 545 US products worth $ 34 billion, the most of them. between them are agricultural
This tariff response, which includes soybeans, one of the most consumed products in Asia, affects areas like Iowa or Kentucky, a state represented by the Republican leader at the Upper House, Mitch McConnell. 19659004] In fact, Grbadley pointed out, at least three times, in the past three months, several senators from agricultural states have conveyed their concern to the president.
A recent study by the Citigroup group, which was picked up by CNBC last week, pointed out that about 80% of the states considered conservative will be affected by the tariffs, compared to only 10% of Democrats.
For this reason, are involved about 3.9 million jobs in areas that voted in favor of Trump in 2016.
The electoral turn is essential given that in November of Legislative elections will be held, in which control of both houses of Congress will be at stake. United States, where the Republican Party has majorities at the moment.
This is a problem that Xi does not have to face: last October, at the XIX Communist Party Congress, his position was strengthened. leader, not only indisputable but also indefinite of the Asian giant.
Trump maintains as one of his main arguments to justify his protectionist policies the need to defend the local worker, although the current unemployment rate in the country is only 4%.
For this reason, a loss of jobs in the agricultural sector due to the trade war with China would put the Republican party in a delicate situation.
Following Tuesday's announcement by the US administration of new tariffs, it remains now the incognito of which will be the reaction of Beijing, which has already advanced that it adopt countermeasures that do not specify it. [EFE]
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