A White House official expressed frustration Wednesday with critics of its proposed tariffs against China, saying the Trump administration was pushed to act because Beijing refused to alter its policies.
Pressed by reporters to clarify the administration’s “strategy” regarding the tariffs, the official said the Trump administration had given repeated warnings to China to alter its trade policies or face the consequences.
“We’re trying, through dialogue, [World Trade Organization] litigation and through the potential of these tariffs to get China to change its actions. I don’t know what people are looking for in terms of ‘strategy,’ but I think it is pretty obvious what we have been trying to do,” said the official, speaking anonymously.
The official added that the Trump administration would require concrete action from China before it would ease back on the tariffs.
“It’s a difficult relationship because it’s very easy to get [Beijing] to promise to do things. It’s a lot more difficult to get them to actually do things.”
The official declined to say whether any talks were being held with China about the tariffs.
The comments came the same day that National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told cable news, “Blame China, not President Trump. Because they’ve been going on for many years. Trump is really the first president to fight back and to put a shot across the bow.”
Earlier in the day, Trump tweeted that the administration had little choice but to impose the tariffs. “When you’re already $500 billion DOWN, you can’t lose!” he wrote.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office on Tuesday released the official list of products imported from China that the administration proposes to slap with 25 percent tariffs, hitting about $50 billion worth of imports. The list covers a vast number of items including vehicles and all manner of mechanical and industrial devices. The administration may still amend the list, which has to go through a public comment period before it can be enacted.
The administration has argued that the tariffs are necessary because China uses its trade policies to coerce U.S. companies into giving it technology.
The source said no time frame had been set for a final determination on the tariffs.
China responded to Tuesday’s announcement by hitting the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs covering 106 products amounting to $50 billion worth of goods. China’s list includes cars, soybean crop, and chemical products. The response was more far-reaching than many expected, prompting turmoil in the markets.
