Technology products, such as cell phones, computers, TVs; have not been part ofof the growing U.S.-China trade fight, despite them being a significant portion of trade between the two nations.
Now that has started to change, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Tuesday raised the stakes in a growing trade fight with China, targeting 25 percent tariffs on some 1,300 industrial technology, transport and medical products.
China hit back with duties on U.S. imports including soybeans, planes, cars, whiskey and chemicals.
The USA proposed list of $50 billion in tariffs goal is to force Beijing to address what the White House and others see as a state system of theft of U.S. intellectual property and forced technology transfer from U.S. companies to Chinese competitors through initiatives such as the “Made in China 2025” plan.
Trump is also focused on his promise to voters to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing jobs
