March 22, 2018
With Trump economic crackdown, a new era in U.S.–China relations
The Trump administration announced today a plan to levy investment restrictions and roughly $60 billion worth of tariffs on China in response to its widespread violation of U.S. intellectual property rights. The message to Beijing is clear: Washington will no longer overlook China’s systematic efforts to acquire American technology.
Why it matters: These economic policies mark the dawn of a new era in U.S.–China relations. Though once a source of stability between the world's two most powerful nations, commerce and investment will from now on be a flashpoint.
The big picture: Beijing pursues U.S. technology by extracting intellectual property from U.S. firms operating in China, investing in American companies and startups, and opening research centers in the U.S. to tap American talent. While the tariffs might compel China to improve its domestic treatment of American firms, they leave most of China's practices unaffected. Limitations on Chinese investment in the U.S. — if carefully scoped and adaptable to Beijing’s evolving toolkit — would do more.
Read the full op-ed on Axios.
More from CNAS
-
Regional and Global Responses to a Taiwan Contingency
Reports
A contingency across the Taiwan Strait has the potential to reshape the Indo-Pacific and even global security environment. This report explores how states beyond the United St...
By Jacob Stokes, Kareen Hart, Ryan Claffey & Thomas Corel
-
What Is Voice of America and Why Trump Is Dismantling the Broadcaster
Video
For the better part of a century, Voice of America has broadcast into countries whose governments censored free information. The Trump administration has dismantled VOA's pare...
By Lisa Curtis
-
Democracy in South Asia amid U.S. Aid Cuts
Reports
The practice of democratic governance and the increased number of people across the world participating in national elections are positive trends that will help ensure governm...
By Lisa Curtis, Kareen Hart & Keerthi Martyn
-
Lessons from the U.S.-China Trade War
Podcast
America and China have agreed to a 90-day truce of their month-long trade war, but the economic uncertainty has not yet ended. Beyond tariffs, the spat had begun spilling over...
By Edward Fishman
