By politicizing trade ties US would harm itself

Reports that US President Donald Trump is considering imposing restrictions on Chinese imports, with an announcement forthcoming as early as this week, are worrying, because the move, if taken, could spark a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The United States' grievances stem from its huge trade deficit with China, which now stands at $368 billion, and what it regards as China's weak protection of intellectual property rights. Section 301 of the US' Trade Act of 1974 allows Trump to impose tariffs or other trade restrictions to protect US industries from "unfair practices" without following the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization.

That Washington is backpedaling on the joint efforts the two countries have made to narrow their differences on trade will be a blow to the mutual trust that both sides have worked hard to build. It could also compromise the one-year action plan on economic cooperation they agreed at the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in Washington on July 19. The plan for a year of discussions is aimed at building on the positive momentum achieved in the 100-Day Action Plan trade negotiations between the two sides initiated after the summit meeting in April between Trump and President Xi Jinping.