China-US Trade Tensions: Escalating trade friction draws critics

World
Europe

03:11

The trade war between the world's two largest economies is continuing. Trump had vowed to hit back after China retaliated for the first round of 25 percent tariffs on 34-billion-dollars' worth of imports that Washington imposed last week. But China isn't the only critic of Trump's tariffs.

Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods are intended to help American companies and to narrow the trade deficit with China. In reality, it's put many industries in danger and has drawn many critics.

Analysts say the trade deficit is one-sided and additional tariffs aren't solving anything.

US farmers are feeling the pain. Arkansas is a major agricultural state. Last year, farmers there harvested 1.4 million hectares of soybeans. The state's soybean exports to China once reached to 800 million US dollars a year. And now the governor is worried.

American businesses could take a hit, and so could Trump's own political landscape. Business and media leaders say American consumers could be hurt. And Trump is also facing massive pressure from November's mid-term elections.

China imposed countermeasures on US goods AFTER the US levied 25 percent tariffs on 34-billion-dollars' worth of Chinese products. Premier Li Keqiang says there can be no winner in a trade war with the US.