Donald Trump does well on the threat of additional tariffs

President Donald Trump stepped up his trade war with China today, identifying an additional $ 200 billion ($ 293.5 billion) in Chinese goods that he plans to hit with rights over $ 50 billion. # 39; import.

China's retaliation for the initial US $ 34 billion worth of Chinese goods, which came into effect on Friday, would eventually put nearly half of China's imports under tariffs.

steal US intellectual property and abandon policies that force US companies to give up their trade secrets in exchange for access to the Chinese market.

"These practices pose an existential threat to the most critical comparative advantage of America and the future of our economy," said Robert Lighthizer, the chief negotiator for the president.

Trump's latest action will hit consumer products, such as televisions, clothes, being sheets and air conditioners, which were spared from the first import levies on Friday. But the new rates will not be taxed until the end of a two-month public comment period.

"It's there that a painful situation becomes more painful," said Phil Levy, a former George W. Bush White House economist.

The first reactions to the president's action were unfavorable. "Tonight's announcement seems reckless and is not a targeted approach," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

Beijing has promised to respond in kind to any US trade action. But China has only bought US $ 135 billion of US goods last year, which means it will no longer have US products to tax before Trump's latest move .

Chinese authorities should respond by other means. [traduction] "The Trump administration is doing the game that by brandishing such a big club, it will force China to back down," said Edward Alden, a senior official of the Ontario Council. . Foreign relations. "It is certainly a serious miscalculation: China is much more likely to find other ways to respond."

The President has repeatedly described his use of tariffs – which are paid by the US importers – as leverage to extract

Some talks with Chinese leaders early in the year, however, have made little progress and no plans for additional meetings have been published.

US officials say they ready to negotiate.But a senior administration official who informed reporters today provided that he is not identified added: "we intend to maintain the pressure on them. "

The Trump Administration said it was cracking down on China for a series of business practices involving intellectual property and technology that cost US businesses about 50 m billion dollars a year.

Trump has authorized an initial tariff of $ 50 billion – including the US $ 34 billion that came into effect the Lighthizer said Tuesday

that China's retaliatory measures against these measures were "without any legal basis or international justification".

"They are the ones who started everything by hurting us," said the official.

Tuesday's announcement included a 205-page public notice and a list of individual products that might be affected by the news. The Lighthizer office plans four days of public hearings on commercial actions starting August 20.

"The escalation of Trump's commercial hostilities makes it increasingly difficult the idea of ​​a way out of a total trade war.This new series of proposed tariffs brings the fight to another level from which it will be difficult for one or the other party to make a graceful retirement, "said Eswar Prasad, former head of the Chinese division of the International Monetary Fund

. meanwhile, unveiled measures to help Chinese companies absorb the US trade beating, pledging to channel the money levied on its own import levies to companies and workers involved in the trade war.

the goods, urging them to place orders for products such as soybeans and automobiles to suppliers in China or countries other than the United States. "For companies that are severely affected, we suggest that they fall under local ministries," said in a statement Monday.

The Ministry did not publish any further details on how it would allocate financial aid or whether the aid would cover the total cost of the analysts believe that China could significantly increase its support to industries that are likely to be bled by the commercial battle.

China also seems to project its confidence that it can withstand the political turmoil, said David Rank, former deputy. The Head of Mission at the US Embassy in Beijing

"Xi Jinping and the Communist Party are not facing mid-term elections in November," said Mr. Rank about the Chinese President, who is no longer bound by warrants. "Plus, they will blame any economic problem on Trump and the United States."