U.S.-China Disputes Growing Harder to Solve

President Donald Trump’s decision to downgrade relations with Hong Kong shows how his clashes with China increasingly feature ideological differences that are harder to resolve than the trade dispute that has primarily defined the administration’s approach to the relationship with its biggest rival.

The president on Friday said China’s decision to impose a national security law was “absolutely smothering Hong Kong freedoms” and made it impossible for the U.S. to continue treating the city with a special status.

Along with Mr. Trump’s increasing blame on Beijing for the coronavirus outbreak, such comments deviate from his efforts to frame bilateral relations around trade. Going into this year’s presidential election, polls show widespread dissatisfaction in the American public over China.

Read the full article and more in The Wall Street Journal.