China brands US President Donald Trump 'trouble' as trade war escalates

China has branded US President Donald Trump 'trouble'
AP

China branded US President Donald Trump a “troublemaker” today as the trade war between the two superpowers escalated.

Writing in the Evening Standard, the Chinese ambassador to London Liu Xiaoming ratcheted up Beijing’s diplomatic offensive by firing off stinging criticisms of the Trump administration.

Woody Johnson, America’s ambassador to Britain, told the Standard that Mr Trump was seeking to protect US jobs and firms rather than “hurt” China.

Tensions worsened this morning when Washington launched fresh moves against Chinese telecoms giant Huawei.

Just days ago, President Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion (£156 billion) of products from China — from 10 per cent to 25 per cent — in an effort to force it to reshape its trading relationship with America.

Washington has launched fresh moves on Huawei 
REUTERS

Washington has also imposed smaller-scale tariffs against the EU, including Britain, and other allies on steel and aluminium.

Mr Trump prides himself on being a “deal maker”, but Mr Liu condemned protectionism as “the common enemy” of the world.

“The real troublemakers in the global economy are those who rely on their superior power and frequently resort to the threat of raising tariffs and trigger ‘trade wars’ at will around the world, even against their allies without hesitation,” he wrote.

He emphasised that a “sound and stable” economic partnership between the US and China was of global importance.

In an apparent swipe at Mr Trump’s “America First” approach, he added: “Therefore, what a responsible big country should do is to stop thinking about ‘us first’ at the expense of others.”

While China did not want a trade war, he explained, it was “fully prepared” and “not afraid” of one.

“It would fight to the end should a ‘trade war’ break out,” Mr Liu added.

However, Beijing has faced criticism over its own trade policy, including maintaining barriers to foreign firms from doing business in parts of its economy, industrial espionage, as well as its controversial Belt and Road global infrastructure project.

Mr Johnson explained that Washington was seeking to rebalance the trading relationship.

“The US objective is not to hurt China’s economic growth or to contain China’s development, but to find an enforceable solution to China’s market-distorting policies and practices that harm the US economy and victimise American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses, as well as the economies of Britain and Europe,” he said.

“It’s in Britain’s interests to urge China to respect the rule of law, property rights and intellectual property of British innovators. The US and Britain share these goals.”

Beijing has responded to Mr Trump’s actions with tit-for-tat tariffs on $110 billion (£86 billion) of US goods, accusing America of starting “the largest trade war in economic history”.

But the US president stepped up pressure last week on China with the higher tariffs and also started the process of imposing levies on virtually all remaining imports from China, which are valued at some $300 billion (£234 billion).

Mr Trump stressed: “We are now working on a new trade deal with China. But it must include real, structural change to end unfair trade practices, reduce our chronic trade deficit and protect American jobs.”

Britain is reluctant to get caught up in the fight between the two superpowers, but strongly defends free trade.

Downing Street warned that “nobody benefits from trade wars,” with the Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman, adding: “We hope that they will find a resolution to avoid any further escalation.”

The US Commerce Department said it was putting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 70 affiliates on its “entity list”, which bans the company from acquiring components and technology from US firms without government approval.

It came just as US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin announced he would visit China soon for further talks.

Earlier, Mr Trump signed an executive order barring US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by firms deemed to pose a national security risk.

Britain is at odds with America over Huawei, with spy chiefs in the UK believing any espionage threat from the use of its equipment in 5G can be minimised by banning it from being involved in the “core” of new networks.

Huawei denies that it is involved in spying.

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