Trump Readies Sweeping Tariffs and Investment Restrictions on China - March 16, 2018

Media Report

March 16 , 2018

The New York Times：Trump Readies Sweeping Tariffs and Investment Restrictions on China
The New York Times reports: "The dust has yet to settle on President Trump's decision to impose sweeping tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, but the White House is preparing another major trade measure, this time aimed squarely at China. Mr. Trump and his top trade advisers are readying a raft of actions to penalize China's theft of American intellectual property, including tariffs on at least $30 billion of annual Chinese imports, people familiar with the discussions said. The measures, which could be announced as early as next week, may also include investment restrictions, caps on visas for Chinese researchers and challenges to China's trade practices at the World Trade Organization. Those familiar with the planning cautioned that the timing could be delayed, and that such measures are likely to be introduced in stages."
CNN：China is cutting its huge stash of US debt
CNN reports: "America's biggest foreign creditor is tightening its belt. China's holdings of US government debt fell to a six-month low of $1.17 trillion in January, according to Treasury Department data published Thursday. The country remains the top foreign holder of US Treasury debt -- a position its held for most of the last decade -- but its move to reduce its investments comes amid rising trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies. China spent most of 2017 gobbling up more US debt. Its holdings of treasuries rose 13% during that year."
Foreign Policy：House Proposal Targets Confucius Institutes as Foreign Agents
Foreign Policy reports: "A new draft proposal in the House of Representatives seeks to require China's cultural outposts in the United States, the Confucius Institutes, to register as foreign agents. The effort, spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), targets any foreign funding at U.S. universities that aims to promote the agenda of a foreign government. "The bottom line is transparency," Wilson tells Foreign Policy in an interview. The draft bill does not single out Confucius Institutes by name, but according to Wilson it will apply to the Chinese government-run programs, which offer language and culture classes on more than 100 American college and university campuses."

Calendar

2018-03-15 Boeing would be on the front lines of a trade war with China
2018-03-14 Chinese investment in the U.S. could grind to a halt
2018-03-13 China sets up new foreign aid agency to better project influence abroad
2018-03-12 South Korea moves to ease Chinese jitters over US-North Korea talks
2018-03-11 US protectionism could set off a digital trade war
2018-03-09 Trump's next trade target: China's IP theft
2018-03-08 U.S. Asks China for Plan to Reduce Trade Deficit by $100 Billion
2018-03-07 The U.S. Wants to Take On China With Trade. The Rest of the World Will Be Caught in the Middle.
2018-03-06 A stronger China is giving the world ‘more and more security’, Communist Party newspaper says
2018-03-05 Chinese Premier’s Economy Speech Offers Plenty for Critics to Dislike

News

The New York Times Trump Readies Sweeping Tariffs and Investment Restrictions on China
CNN China is cutting its huge stash of US debt
The New York Times Wary of China, Europe and Others Push Back on Foreign Takeovers
TIME Uighur Muslims Around the World Protest China's Aggressive Security Crackdown
Financial Times Chinese film breaks box office records with captive audience
CNBC Southeast Asia is increasingly turning to India instead of the US or China
The Wall Street Journal Targeting China, Trump Threatens Student Visas. That Would Hit a Big U.S. Export
The Washington Post Two expats have been each other's family in China for 5 years. Now, they've made it official.
Reuters China says political education for students now back on track
The Wall Street Journal Li Ka-shing Has Already Left China Behind
CNBC Fears ripple through the US heartland that agriculture could take hit from China trade retaliation
CoinDesk Crypto Escapes Scrutiny at Annual China Investor Event
Associated Press New China 'crime' crackdown targets threats to party rule

Commentary