United States confirms US$200 billion in new tariffs on China

THE Sino-American trade war is gearing up with US President Donald
Trump announcing the imposition another US$200 billion on the imports
of Chinese goods, reports London's Financial Times.

@FAXTEXT = US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been given
the orders to prepare a list of Chinese imported products to be
subjected to the tariffs, with a public notice and comment process
running over the next two months before the measures come into effect.

The announcement comes just days after the US signed in 25 per cent
tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese industrial goods last Friday, with
Beijing saying it was applying retaliatory measures.

President Trump has suggested that he is willing to pursue the trade
dispute even up to a total of $500 billion in total tariffs on Chinese
imports. The latest duties would be set at a rate of 10 per cent.

"For more than a year, the Trump administration has patiently urged
China to stop its unfair practices, open its market, and engage in
true market competition," said Mr Lighthizer, calling Beijing's
retaliation lacking in "legal basis or justification".

The announcement has been met with criticism from members of Mr
Trump's own party as well as democratic lawmakers, with many fearing
that it will be difficult to expand the scope of the trade war without
there being an impact on consumers.