CHINA/TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said the U.S. is planning to levy tariffs on about $60 billion of imports from China, as well as impose restrictions on technology transfers and acquisitions by Beijing to pressure China to curtail what the U.S. considers unfair trading and investment practices… Mr. Trump made the announcement Thursday [3-22-18] at the White House. Earlier in the day, White House aides had said the U.S. was planning to levy tariffs on $50 billion of imports. It wasn’t immediately clear why the president cited a different, higher number. The Trump administration complains that the Chinese use intimidation and subterfuge to acquire U.S. technology, put U.S. firms in China at a disadvantage through unfair licensing deals and siphon away U.S. jobs. Mr. Trump sees confrontation as the way to get results, feeling that past administrations haven’t been tough enough, said senior White House officials. China contends it has improved its protection of intellectual property and that it is moving fast to further liberalize its economy. It also is putting together a package of retaliatory measures against U.S. tariffs.”
–Bob Davis, “U.S. to Apply Tariffs on About $60 Billion of Chinese Imports,” The Wall Street Journal online, Mar. 22, 2018, 12:59pm