On Monday, President Trump is returning briefly to Washington from his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, to sign an executive order launching a study on a potential investigation of China's trade practices relating to technology and intellectual property, White House aides said over the weekend. The order will direct his trade representative to ascertain if there's enough evidence that China is stealing valuable patents and other trade secrets from U.S. companies outright or coercing them into entering joint Chinese partnerships to launch a formal, unilateral investigation. There will be no deadline to conclude whether a probe is warranted, and the investigation would take a year or more.
"Such theft not only damages American companies, but can threaten our national security," a senior administration official told reporters on Saturday. Trump has linked U.S. trade measures against China with China's willingness to confront North Korea, but White House officials insist this order has nothing to do with the rising tensions with Pyongyang. "These are totally unrelated events," one official told The Wall Street Journal. "Trade is trade. National security is national security." One official suggested to WSJ that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not discuss trade on their North Korea–focused phone call on Friday, but two U.S. officials familiar with their conversation told The Associated Press that Trump mentioned the possible trade inquiry to Xi.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Europe's all-inclusive holiday trendThe Week Recommends Big US chains are capitalising on the 'recent surge' in package breaks to bring upscale resorts to Europe
-
Why is recasting so difficult?In The Spotlight Switching much-loved characters can cause confusion – and spark a backlash
-
Diamonds could be a brilliant climate solutionUnder the radar A girl and the climate's best friend
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strikeSpeed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homesSpeed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bidSpeed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detenteSpeed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
