Global Trade Tensions: Trump talks tariffs benefits with steelworkers as farmers fret

World
Europe

02:12

President Donald Trump has made his second visit this week to the U.S. Midwest. The region's voters were critical in him winning the presidency. But while some are now suffering in the global trade war, Trump was keen to prove that others are enjoying a resurgence in their industry, thanks to his tariffs on foreign imports. Owen Fairclough has more.

Steelworkers helped put Donald Trump in the White House. And he thinks his trade war is helping factories like this one in Illinois open up again by hitting foreign metal imports with tariffs to protect domestic producers.

Trump is fighting trade battles on multiple fronts.

And if one with Europe appears to be on hold after a visit from the European Commission's President, another with China is taking its toll on another set of voters who are crucial for Trump.

Farmers are to receive up to 12 billion dollars to compensate them for their losses from China's tariffs on U.S. agriculture exports-retaliation for U.S duties on Chinese imports worth 34 billion. Beijing says Washington's strategy is backfiring.

GENG SHUANG CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY "The current situation is completely due to the United States pursuing unilateralism and protectionism, breaking its promises and flip-flopping, and insisting on provoking a trade war toward China. American farmers are now footing the bill for the U.S. government's trade bullying."

Trump is threatening to ramp up duties on 500 billion dollars' worth of Chinese goods-almost all of China's exports to the U.S. in 2017.

OWEN FAIRCLOUGH WASHINGTON "His aim: force China into remedying longstanding complaints about unfair trade practices that harm the U.S economy, and claims that China continues to deny. OW, CGTN WASHINGTON."