Posted on 02/17/2018 4:38:41 PM PST by cba123
The Trump administration is weighing stiff new limits and tariffs on steel and aluminum imports — and China, one of the proposal’s main targets, is warning it might want to think twice.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross issued a pair of reports on Friday on a months-long investigation into the national security impacts of steel and aluminum imports to the United States. The measures proposed would cut imports from around the globe in an effort to boost domestic production. China warned the country would take “necessary measures to defend our rights” should President Donald Trump decide to follow Ross’ recommendations. Trump has until April to decide what to do.
“Imports threaten to impair our national security,” Ross told reporters Friday as he released the reports detailing options that he has presented Trump to shield US industries from foreign competition, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The maneuver is the latest attempt of the Trump administration to make good on its “America First” message — even if economists, analysts, and allies say it might not be the best of ideas.
{please follow link for full article)
(Excerpt) Read more at vox.com ...
(sorry please note the section above “Trump railed against China on the Campaign trail, but has done little in the way of firm action against the country since his election...” is all from the article)
Millions of Middle class manufacturing jobs were stolen by China, NOT Russia, NOT Iran, NOT N Korea, Not Mexcico, Not any other country. Candidate Donald Trump was the ONLY one talking about $400-500 Billion ANNUAL trade deficits with China. The so called conservatives, so loved by many, were for “free” trade? I am glad they all bit the dust during primaries.
Because all they care about their ultra-rich HANDFUL donors, and not the vast hard working middle class.
“Trump might be close too escalating...........”
Add your own topic as there are a gazillion
This is going to be a problem. Thirty plus years of de-industrialization, along with moving most of that capacity to a communist country, has taken its toll on domestic manufacturing.
Even if we cut off imports from china, it will take years to bring us back up to what we used to be able to produce. The whole domestic supply chain has been systematically eliminated.
In the short term, expect something along the lines of an OPEC style embargo of industrial products by china. It will hurt, possibly enough to break our will and capitulate to the chinese.
Those jobs weren’t stolen, they were given away. Trump’s biggest opponents in this will be the American CEO’s who want cheap labor.
China’s threats of retaliation ring hollow.
We have at least a $500bil trade deficit with them. And, we are the largest market in the world for all finished goods.
If they want a trade war, they’re stupid.
They won’t survive it, and we will.
And China knows this. They also know what the US seeks is fair and reasonable.
They will not destroy themselves over something fair and reasonable.
Funny how it’s always Trump.
Trump this, Trump that, it’s never the other guy.
Trade war? Shock and awe baby!
” they were given away”
They were sold by the US Congress and four previous presidents.
For the opportunity of their donors to skim off the top.
It’s been the largest transfer of capital stock in the history of man, well at least since the fall of the Roman Empire.
I'm tired of buying products that last 1 day past the warranty.
Theft does not happen if there is proper law enforcement. I witnessed the theft by China FIRST HAND. They purchased technology developed over 60 years of research at the outfit I worked for. There should have been LAWS IN PLACE to prohibit transfer of technology. Our conservative politicians spouting free trade failed the country.
“We have at least a $500bil trade deficit with them. “
Actually it’s $375b.
The farticle could have also been headlined. "Trump MIGHT NOT be close to escalating a trade fight with China."
He might be but he is not. The Chinese will back down in any fight with Trump. Make no mistake they can see that Eurostan is going into the toilet and eventually won’t have the money to buy what China makes. They have been around a long time and they re not stupid.
With today’s tech, from prefab steel buildings to computerized lathes I think much quicker than “years”.
Especially with President Trump in charge.
For any criticism I may sound like I send his direction, I am just concerned and I really see him as the one candidate who ran in the last twenty years, who is really for America once again.
Maybe he is slowly and quietly, making preparations for such an operation.
After all, fifty years ago the A-bomb was constructed by teams all over the country, without anyone being aware.
Could just be, that might happen once again.
With steel and CNC equipment imported from china?
Good luck with that.
Domestic manufacturers of these materials and technologies are between exceedingly rare, to nonexistent.
Try to buy a US sourced machine tool, with 100% US sourced component content.
The US abandoned heavy manufacturing in the 1980’s for cheap foreign labor in third world communist countries.
Large US companies are sales, marketing, and financial firms now.
The chinese think decades ahead in their planning. Americans don’t see anything past the next quarter.
Yeah, the Chinese think decades ahead...that’s why they have crumbling “ghost cities”. Look ‘em up.
If US companies had a compelling reason to ramp up manufacturing of steel, tools or parts it could happen damn quick.
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