Trump, China Criticize Opposing Trade
Actions

United States President Donald Trump has
criticized U.S. trade relations with China.

The president expressed opposition to what
he called “stupid trade” relations with China. His comments appeared Monday on
the Twitter social media service.

"When a car is sent to the United
States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%," Trump said on
Twitter. "When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a
Tariff to be paid of 25%. Does that sound like free or fair trade. No, it sounds
like STUPID TRADE - going on for years!" he wrote.

His tweet comes after the U.S. and China
have each announced lists of imported products that will face new taxes.

Earlier Monday, China’s foreign ministry
said that trade talks under the current conditions were not possible.

However, on Sunday, Trump tweeted that he
believed trade disputes with China would be solved. He said, “China will take
down its Trade Barriers because it is the right thing to do.”

Trump added that he believed taxes on trade
between the two sides would become reciprocal. He also said he believed that
there would be a deal on intellectual property that would be good for the
future of both countries.

The U.S. leader called Chinese President Xi
Jinping “a friend” no matter what happens in the trade dispute.

Sides trading tariffs

Last week, China announced tariffs on more
than 100 U.S. products, including vehicles and plastic goods. The list also
includes agricultural products, such as soybeans, wheat, corn, beef and
tobacco. The new tariffs would affect $50 billion worth of American products.

The move followed a Trump administration
announcement that it plans to impose tariffs on about $50 billion dollars in
Chinese exports. A list of products has yet to be identified. However, after
China announced its latest measures on Thursday, President Trump suggested that
he might impose additional tariffs. He said those taxes might affect $100
billion in Chinese goods.

The suggestion added to growing tensions
over trade.

Speaking to CBS News Sunday, U.S. Treasury
Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, while there is a risk of a trade war, he does
not believe one will take place.

“Our expectation is that we don’t think
there will be a trade war. Our objective is to continue to have discussions
with China. I don’t expect there will be a trade war,” he said.

Many U.S. lawmakers are concerned that
American businesses could be hurt if China sets up more tariffs on U.S. goods.

Gary Hufbauer is with the Peterson
Institute for International Economics. He told VOA that the president and Trump
administration officials recognize that tariffs would be “very damaging to both
economies.”

Hufbauer noted that, “The short-term impact
would be highly adverse. Both sides have a lot to gain by negotiations rather
than actually implementing a tariff war,” he said.

I’m Mario Ritter.

Ken Bredemeier reported this story for VOA
News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the
editor.

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Words in This Story

tariffs – n. taxes on imported or exported
goods or services

reciprocal – adj. a situation where each
side agrees to do something similar for the other

intellectual property – n. property that
come from invention or ideas, which is protected by patents or copyright
agreements

matter – n. something that is being done or
talked about

impose – v. to put a rule, law or tax
officially into effect

adverse – adj. not good, unfavorable

implementing – v. causing some plan or
policy to happen or take place