Are we going to get a better trade deal from China?

Past administrations apparently did very little, if anything. President Trump has/is trying, but when so many of our politicians, most of our business sector, and over 50% of the public whine continually about his attempts, why would China see it any other way than weakness on our part. They’ll stick to their plan of ‘ripping us off’ every way possible.

Mountainmanbob said:

Facts

China has been stealing US technology for a long time now.

China has deliberately sold products below the manufacturing cost so as to dry up and kill US manufacturers.

Is it time to play hardball with China?

What have past administrations not done that this administration could do?

M-Bob

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Here's a key thing to do: be sure the tariffs/duties also are on products from all other nations that are reexporting Chinese products to the U.S. or use Chinese components in their products, so that China can't merely slip around the tariffs.

Regardless of the China outcome, the uncertainly Trump has caused concerning trade with China is working. Today the Wall Street Journal reported that Foxconn, a leading supplier for Apple, and others are making plans to move production outside of China. Companies do not move plants overnight, so it may take a couple of years, but the reality is that China has been exposed for it's poor dealings, theft of intellectual property and manipulations. The anti-tariff crowd is still with us though, as they seek short-term profits and ideological wins rather than practical and fair trade for Americans.

Mountainmanbob said:

Facts

China has been stealing US technology for a long time now.

China has deliberately sold products below the manufacturing cost so as to dry up and kill US manufacturers.

Is it time to play hardball with China?

What have past administrations not done that this administration could do?

M-Bob

Click to expand...

The admin could sanction specific companies in China, they could bring a complaint to the WTO, they could give preferable trading agreements to China's competitors, they could lower tariffs and duties on China's competitors, they could have completed the TPP deal.... a few ideas off the top of my head that seem better than punishing American consumers.

inquiring mind said:

but when so many of our politicians, most of our business sector, and over 50% of the public whine continually about his attempts, why would China see it any other way than weakness on our part.

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Shortsightedness seems to be a big issue in this country, BTA some of it is happening just because of who's trying to fix the problem.

Mountainmanbob said:

Facts

China has been stealing US technology for a long time now.

China has deliberately sold products below the manufacturing cost so as to dry up and kill US manufacturers.

Is it time to play hardball with China?

What have past administrations not done that this administration could do?

M-Bob

Click to expand...

I don't know if we're going to "get a better trade deal".

I do know that no trade with China is better than the situation that developed under both Republican and Democrat administrations over the past thirty years with regards to foreign trade. Particularly with the rise of Chinese militarism and the development of the Chinese military over the past decade or so, it's pretty clear that the world would be a better place had we never traded with them.

Free trade among equals is a good thing. It's a good thing when an American builds a Harley Davidson and sells it to a German who builds a Volkswagen and sells it to someone in Switzerland who in turn sells Chocolate or financial services to an American.

The problem arises when you have multinational corporations using disparities in the standard of living to eliminate workers who have a first world lifestyle and replace them with workers in the third world who do not.

No matter how educated or motivated someone in a first world country is, a person who lives in a single family home, drives a car to work and has a sandwich at Subway for lunch can never compete with someone who lives 3 generations to a two bedroom apartment, takes overcrowded public transport to work, and eats off a street vendor's cart.