Commentaries And Analysis On The Current U.S. - China Trade War

Wendy S. Cutler, New York Times: What Happens if Trade Talks With China Fall Apart

Negotiations are in trouble, and that could cause serious problems for the global economy.

rade talks between the United States and China appear to be in serious trouble after China reportedly walked back some of its commitments and President Trump launched a tirade against Chinese negotiators on social media. This marks a sharp turn from last week, when Mr. Trump said talks were “going along pretty well.” As with most negotiations, the most intractable issues have been left for the final stages.

But this round of trade talks, which are to resume on Thursday, is different from those that have come before. If these negotiations fail, there is no going back to the status quo and waiting for another day to re-engage. Further tariff increases and other punitive measures, from both the United States and China, are likely to follow with little restraint.

Among the most difficult questions still on the table are the so-called structural issues that are at the core of the Chinese economic model. These include subsidies and other financial assistance provided to state-owned businesses, which make them unfair competitors. So far, China has reportedly agreed to more transparency on subsidies, an important first step, but there has not been enough progress on controlling them. Mr. Trump will need more than that to placate his political base. The president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., Richard Trumka, has already warned, in a recent interview with The Financial Times, that he will consider any deal that fails to reduce industrial subsidies “inferior.”

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Commentaries And Analysis On The Current U.S. - China Trade War

Burned before, US pushes for way to enforce China trade deal -- Paul Wiseman and Joe McDonald, AP
Here's why Trump's trade war with China is a disaster for everyone else's economy too -- Sean O'Grady, The Independent
Maria Bartiromo: 'I don't think the US has any choice but to get tough' with China -- Talia Kaplan, FOX News
In trade talks with China, Trump needs to keep the pressure on instead of blindly trusting -- Brian Brenberg, USA Today
Trump’s tariff tactic is the best way to finally make China stop cheating -- Steven W. Mosher, NYPost
As US-China trade war tariffs strike, ships at sea are safe but ‘blackmail’ mood sours at Chinese docks -- Finbarr Bermingham, He Huifeng, and Sidney Leng, SCMP
The U.S. and China May Not Want a Deal After All -- David Fickling, Bloomberg View
China Has Overestimated Trump's Desperation For a Deal -- Jamil Anderlini, FT
China overplayed its hand with Trump on trade, and it could cost them dearly -- James Griffiths, CNN
Analysis by James Griffiths, CNN
Trump's China tariffs are about more than just trade -- Ashutosh Pandey, DW
How strong is Trump's hand in US-China trade war? -- Ben Piven, Al Jazeera
Will China use its US$1.2 trillion of US debt as firepower to fight the trade war? -- Karen Yeung, SCMP
New tariffs on China pose major risk for Trump -- Sylvan Lane, The Hill
Here's why global stocks aren't sinking despite the US tariff hike -- Spriha Srivastava, CNBC