US threatens China with tariffs over alleged theft of trade secrets
by Staff and agency from on (#3R7MH)
US to levy duty on $50bn of Chinese goods, claiming misuse of its intellectual property
The US government has threatened to impose tariffs on $50bn of imports from China unless Beijing addresses the issue of the theft of American intellectual property, once again raising the prospect of a trade war.
The renewed threat of tariffs comes ahead of commerce secretary Wilbur Ross's visit to Beijing this week when he will try to get China's agreement to firm numbers for additional US exports to the country. The US had wanted China's trade surplus with America to shrink by $200bn in two years, a figure seen as fanciful by most economists and trade experts.
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