China’s Trade Surplus With U.S. Soars

Shipping containers being loaded onto Xin Da Yang Zhou ship from Shanghai, China at Pier J at the Port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, US, on April 4, 2018.PHOTO: REUTERS

The Straits Times/AFP: China's trade surplus with US soars 19.4 per cent in first quarter; Beijing calls for patience

BEIJING (AFP) - China's trade surplus with the United States surged by a fifth in the first three months of the year with China calling on Friday (April 13) on Washington to be patient as tensions between the economic superpowers simmer.

Fears of a trade war have been rumbling since last month. President Donald Trump has threatened a series of tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods, sparking tit-for-tat warnings from Beijing.

The stand-off lies in the Trump administration's ire at massive levies and what it considers unfair practices by China that he says are costing American jobs.

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Update: China's trade surplus with U.S. soars in first quarter but March exports falter (Reuters)

WNU Editor: This massive increase in the trade deficit has more to do with exporters and importers rushing to close deals before the imposition of U.S. tariffs. But what is the big surprise is that China actually experienced a trade deficit (due to imports of commodities such as oil) in March .... China records a rare trade deficit of $4.98 billion in March as exports fall 2.7% (CNBC/Reuters). But all of this is not going to stop U.S. demands that China lifts its tariffs and restrictions to U.S. goods.