Trump administration pushing to rip global supply chains from China

Trump White House pledges to punish China have not always been followed by action.

I.e. 'talk's cheap'. After all, it's re-election time.

Trump's going to have to get his fellow 'elite' running global corporations to go along with him. Their wealth, too is tied up with China. They've contributed to China's growth. Blame China for good reasons, but it's been a two-way street.

Will Trump/Ivanka cut their ties with the Chinese Communist Party members they have business connections with? Lead by example? Or cheap talk.

President Donald Trump, who has stepped up recent attacks on China ahead of the Nov 3 U.S. presidential election, has long pledged to bring manufacturing back from overseas.

Great idea but first you will need to cut US manufacturing wages by over 50% to make the products competitive. Ain't going to happen.

.e. 'talk's cheap'. After all, it's re-election time.

If you're suggesting Trump has been neglecting to take a hard line on China and acting only now, you'd be very wrong. He started rolling out the tariffs against Beijing early on in his administration.

Trump's going to have to get his fellow 'elite' running global corporations to go along with him.

Why? Apple and other multinationals and the elites that run them long ago made a big stink over the tariffs already in effect. But they went into effect regardless. Trump trumped the elites, it would seem.

I'm no supporter of Trump, but he's basically right about China. I made my own warnings from many years back about Beijing's abuse of the WTO, etc. and was very glad to finally see the White House take an appropriate stance.

Agreed. It's ridiculous for China to profit handsomely off of a global catastrophe it created.

 He started rolling out the tariffs against Beijing early on in his administration.

How effective have those been? How have they benefited US agriculture, other than having US taxpayers pony up even larger subsidies.

Trump trumped the elites, it would seem.

Trump's the global elite's champion. Look where his campaign contributions are coming from. Look which groups have benefited most during his reign. Start with tax breaks. Look at subsidies. Look at weakening and even eliminating environmental, worker and consumer protections.

Trump White House pledges to punish China have not always been followed by action.

I don’t believe that Trump and his entourage only knew about coronavirus from watching the news and updates such as the Diamond Princess like the rest of us. Do you really buy the “China didn’t tell us” outcry of Pompeo? Even the unintelligent don’t underestimate US intelligence.

The US intelligence community was in attendance at Event 201, the Johns Hopkins University pandemic conference in New York in October and knew what was going on in China in December but the administration did not take it seriously. Chinese health system were “at third world standards” and the fast built “1000 bed in ten days” hospitals were show off and pointless. Some called the Wuhan lockdown a violation of human rights.

"But we don’t see a wholesale rush for the exits by companies doing business in China."

Companies don’t relocate to China only because of China's low labor costs. They also have a productive labor force, world class infrastructure, and the most complete supply chain in the world. The drawback is the government.

Japan would be a great alternative if not for labor supply and costs. Made in Japan is needed for this economy rather than yet another “stimulus.”

No more Chinese Trumpware? The Chinese being the go-to guys for walls they've probably decided to immure themselves from the orange moronavirus. They won't be working for his re-election or the self-enrichment of Trump Inc.

It's ridiculous for China to profit handsomely off of a global catastrophe it created.

The pandemic has decimated the chinese economy. How exactly are they "handsomely" profiting off it?

to punish Beijing for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak

Why doesn't the Trump administration ever craft a policy to further the interests of the American people instead of the feelings of their toddler President?

China is gonna' pay for the pandemic like Mexico paid for the mostly invisible wall.

Great move, about time.

i’m not saying we shouldn’t do it. I’m saying we have to be careful how we do it.

To a certain point I agree, but at the same time as their biggest buyer of almost everything, China needs the US as much as the US needs China. We can make it as painful for them as they are obviously trying to make it painful for us.

Tax incentives and potential re-shoring subsidies are among measures being considered to spur changes

So these companies made a ton by putting Americans out of work and sending the jobs to China, and now they get even more cash and incentives to move to a different country?

Must be nice not being a Mom & Pop shop.

@Ptownsend

How effective have those been?

The US economy was booming after the tariffs came out and continued that strong performance...until the virus. Plenty of folks predicted the tariffs would trigger a sharp downturn. Remember? Well, they were wrong. Some people have short memories. Or, memories molded to fit a narrative rather than the facts.

Because of the sentiment that it was the rise of China and the fear that instilled in the US that these two countries cannot escape Thucydides' trap, it makes more sense for Trump and his team to seriously review the political wisdom and economical benefits of Obama's trans–Pacific Partnerships.

How exactly are they "handsomely" profiting off of it?

Have you been watching NY Gov. Cuomo's press conferences? Everything NY's in dire need of from masks to gowns to ventilators is mostly from China. NY is defenseless because the U.S. doesn't manufacture these basic yet vital items. As far as being made in the U.S. or not, they can make them in Panama or Honduras for all I care, just don't make them in China.

Diversifying supply chains away from China is probably a fine idea, but as Trump is constantly looking for scapegoats and to stoke nativist flames, we never really know what the administration's priorities are located. Add that to the fact that they never pay attention to details or do the necessary legwork to follow up things to the end, and it's just hard to take them seriously.

And anyways, I thought that Republicans were supposed to be opposed to business management being dictated by government fiat?

The US economy was booming after the tariffs came out 

Except that's not what happened.

https://fortune.com/2019/10/08/trump-china-tariffs-trade-war-us-economy-impact/

Trump’s Tariffs Were Supposed to Ding China, But the U.S. Economy Is Getting Hit 2.5x Harder

https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2226

Trade war leaves both US and China worse off

By analysing recently released trade statistics, the study finds that consumers in the US are bearing the heaviest brunt of the US tariffs on China, as their associated costs have largely been passed down to them and importing firms in the form of higher prices.

By analysing recently released trade statistics, the study finds that consumers in the US are bearing the heaviest brunt of the US tariffs on China,

This is true.

as their associated costs have largely been passed down to them and importing firms in the form of higher prices.

But that is the pain we have to deal with, if China thinks they can force and push the US to get what it wants, the US can economically and equally make it painful for the Chinese if they feel they don’t need engage in fair trade practices.

liberal governors are continuing to secretly order PPE from China. 1 Billion dollars worth in the case of California.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-04-29/coronavirus-masks-arrival-california-gavin-newsom-byd

Illinois:

https://www.businessinsider.com/illinois-reportedly-organized-secret-flights-bringing-masks-from-china-2020-4

Correct me if I'm wrong but China exports to USA amount to just 20 % of total exports. Living in Japan? Then you buy the same stuff like iPhones here as well. Why is the USA so special?????

And anyways, I thought that Republicans were supposed to be opposed to business management being dictated by government fiat?

Trump isn't really a Republican in that sense; he's not a free trade guy.

He's closer to a 1980s Business Democrat than he is to the Neocons. He prefers some government intervention if the free market isn't making the right decisions.

But that is the pain we have to deal with

If both countries are worse off because of the trade war, what point does it serve exactly?

Correct me if I'm wrong but China exports to USA amount to just 20 % of total exports. Living in Japan? Then you buy the same stuff like iPhones here as well. Why is the USA so special?????

USA is the world's #1 economy, China is #2.

The USA is the only country in the world that can stand up to China, and Trump is interested in doing that (unlike the vast majority of American politicians pre-2016). In that sense he needs our support to fight against China.

The USA is the only country in the world that can stand up to China, and Trump is interested in doing that (unlike the vast majority of American politicians pre-2016). In that sense he needs our support to fight against China.

I agree.

(unlike the vast majority of American politicians pre-2016)

The Obama administration was actually already moving to counter and fight China on several fronts, way before 2016.

https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-relations-china

Typical trump, blame others for your own incompetence and disastrous handling of the pandemic.

Typical trump, blame others for your own incompetence and disastrous handling of the pandemic.

trump's plan is to distract long enough, so people will forget about the sinking economy and loss of lives due to his incompetence to energize his followers.

He will also try to get the CCP to show some "appreciation" in exchange he will leave them alone.

trump will try to blackmail the CCP into making some announcement about Biden like an investigation or something.

Same crap, different day!

American companies created the Chinese productions. Trump and family having their products made in China.

Not anymore.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ivanka-trump-brand-shuts-down-full-story-2018-7

Because of the Trade War, some American producers like the Soy Bean farmers lost their markets and needed subsidies to survive.

If imports are cut then so will exports to China.

Will America and other countries change their production lines to other countries while China is the world's biggest market

And failing fast

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/business/coronavirus-china-economy.html

Hell of a squirrel Don the Con has pointed out there for his Republican dogs. Gotta get the people not focused on his inept pathetic response to the coronavirus.

I do admit though, I'm getting mighty tired of this Democratic hoax. Can someone tell them to stop please?

These Americans claiming that the chinese should be held responsible, after America refused to take any responsibility for Iraq, are looking pretty hypocritical.

Pretty, pretty hypocritical (said in the voice of Larry David).

Hell of a squirrel Don the Con has pointed out there for his Republican dogs. Gotta get the people not focused on his inept pathetic response to the coronavirus.

Newsom, Cuomo, the mayor of NJ all praised Trump for his handling of this crisis as well as delivering on everything he promised. Wow!

These Americans claiming that the chinese should be held responsible

They should and it seems the wheels are in motion to thankfully make that happen.

Got my fullest support.

https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-matt-gaetz-introduces-no-china-act-prevent-funneling-covid-19

I am NO FAN of trump!!!

That said Trump is clearly taking advantage of the current situation, BUT this MUST happen, as I have been saying for around 20yrs now the west MUST STOP feeding the monster that is china!

This will take decades, but needs to start sooner rather than later, it is abundantly clear China is on the warpath economically & militarily.

The longer the west waits the HIGHER the costs we will all pay economically & possible through war!

The west willing helped BUILD this monster now we MUST start taking China down where we can

Again I am no fan of trump but I do agree with him we must deal better with China & also Japan for that matter.

Will be interesting to see how this all plays out, perhaps too interesting, we need to be willing to take a LOT of pain in various ways.

This is simple start paying NOW or a hell of a LOT more later!

https://gaetz.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-matt-gaetz-introduces-no-china-act-prevent-funneling-covid-19

Oh yeah, Matt Gaetz. The guy who ironically wore a gas mask to congress to show the covid-19 pandemic was an overblown hoax.

The USA is the only country in the world that can stand up to China

That's nice. The US people pay all these extra Trump taxes (tariffs..REMEMBER tariffs are a Trump tax on US citizens) while the rest of the world (80%) enjoys cheaper China imports. Happy American in Japan enjoying cheaper China at the US residents' expense I am.

and Trump is interested in...

...taxing US citizens making them suffer while the rest of the world enjoys made-in-China stuff like smartphones. Stay frugal OUTSIDE the USA Americans. Cheaper health insurance (not that rip-off TrumpCare) and cheaper products from China. Trump is ripping people off in the USA.

Trump hated TPP because President Hillary wanted it. TPP would have put the entire world against China.

First he kisses up to Xi and now looks to blame China for something they didn't 'create'. A 2-faced bully child Donnie is, and a backstabber. He openly asked for China's help into probing Biden last year, remember?

Proof once again that he can't be trusted for anything.

This is nuts. Trump says COVED-19 is a bioweapon that came out of a lab. Like a zombie movie.

First he kisses up to Xi and now looks to blame China for something they didn't 'create'.

Yes, they did.

A 2-faced bully child Donnie is, and a backstabber. He openly asked for China's help into probing Biden last year, remember?

And why wouldn’t he, Clinton asked Steele, no American, a Brit, so that would be a foreign power as well.

Proof once again that he can't be trusted for anything.

Neither can the Democrats.

So, corporations reap huge profits by moving their manufacturing to China and now conservatives want to give corporations huge government handouts to move back to the US.

Not only have conservatives given up on fiscal responsibility, they have also given up on the free market and now beg for government interference in it.

Support or loath President Trump administration. The American people/electorate November will be able at the ballot box to decide.

The People of China will never have that opportunity.

The People of China are always, forever destined to be under the heel/jackboot, of autocratic totalitarianism, associated with a cruel and oppressive dictatorship.

A despotic leadership/diktat imposed by General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping.

This is nuts. Trump says COVED-19 is a bioweapon that came out of a lab. Like a zombie movie.

Donny says a lot of things, few of which are true or accurate.

Yes, we all thought it was a hoax in the beginning.

No, we really, really didn't.

Wait, you’re not telling me that trump was wrong when he told us the virus is a Democrat hoax, are you?

But, that would be like super swampy behaviour.

No, we really, really didn't.

Yes. They really, really did.

-Dr. Barbot

*“The important thing for New Yorkers to know is that in the city currently, their risk is low and our city preparedness is high,” Barbot said. “We know that this virus can be transmitted from one individual to another, but that it is typically people who live together. There is no risk at this point in time…about having it being transmitted in casual contact.*

-Mark Levine

City councilman Mark Levine, head of the City Council health committee, attended the Lunar New Year parade on February 9 and urged his constituents to join him.

*“In powerful show of defiance of [the] coronavirus scare, huge crowds gathering in NYC’s Chinatown for ceremony ahead of annual Lunar New Year parade,” Levine wrote on Twitter alongside pictures of the festivities. “Chants of ‘*be strong Wuhan!’ If you are staying away, you are missing out!”

-DeBlasio

De Blasio appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on March 10 and joined President Trump in casting the coronavirus as similar to the flu.

*“If you’re under 50 and you’re healthy, which is most New Yorkers, there’s very little threat here. This disease, even if you were to get it, basically acts like a common cold or flu,” **de Blasio said. That same day, Cuomo deployed the National Guard to set up a “containment zone” in New Rochelle, where the coronavirus cases had ballooned into a cluster.*

-Nancy Pelosi

*Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi toured San Francisco’s Chinatown to send a message. *She said there’s no reason tourists or locals should be staying away from the area because of coronavirus concerns.

“That’s what we’re trying to do today is to say everything is fine here,” Pelosi said. “Come because precautions have been taken. The city is on top of the situation” …

As Pelosi walked from the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory to lunch at a dim sum restaurant, she hugged friends and waved to onlookers. She downplayed the racism issue, saying she understands people are concerned about China – the epicenter of the novel coronavirus.

Yes. They really, really did.

You're already moving the goalposts. You said "we all thought it was a hoax in the beginning."

We didn't.

Citing people who minimized the effects of the disease based on what information there was at the time does not make your statement true at all.

Yes. They really, really did.

"And this is [the Democrat's] new hoax." - Donald J. Trump

Hell of a Democrat hoax, this here virus.

*”

Oh dear, what's going to happen to Trump's ties, those MAGA hats and Ivanka's shoes? Are US customers willing to spend 2 -3 times more for that cr*p being made in the USA? When this pandemic is over, people's wallets are going to be thinner, and many people won't have jobs. I still see the Trump family continuing to throw crumbs at everyone.

Oh dear, what's going to happen to Trump's ties, those MAGA hats and Ivanka's shoes? Are US customers willing to spend 2 -3 times more for that cr*p being made in the USA? When this pandemic is over, people's wallets are going to be thinner, and many people won't have jobs. I still see the Trump family continuing to throw crumbs at everyone.

Believe me when I tell you this, all those Biden pins and shirts are also made in China, especially if the Dems use Zoom, so they need the crap just as much.

liberals are not off the hook just because they didnt call it a "hoax". (Trump didnt either, but ok if you like)

Liberal actions show exactly how they felt. Criticized the travel restrictions. Everyone come on out in public and hang out, its perfectly safe here! go on a cruise, see a movie, go out to eat, walk around Chinatown! (Pelosi, Fauci, Barbot, Cuomo, DeBlasio, et al liberals)

As did Trumps actions show how he felt by closing China travel, except for US citizens which he couldnt do. Started a task force, reached out to China to ask to see the lab to get data. How was he rewarded at the time? "racist!" "xenophobe!" His actions saved the lives of thousands at a minimum.

liberals are not off the hook just because they didnt call it a "hoax". (Trump didnt either, but ok if you like)

And neither are conservatives.

Donny’s actions of downplaying the seriousness, contradicting the experts, and pushing snake oil remedies speak for themselves.

Started a task force,

Only after being forced into it. Never mind he wouldn’t have had to create a task force had he not removed the epidemiological seat on the NSC.

The problem with Trump fans is they never tell the entire story. When the rest of the story is pointed out to them, they move the goalposts.