Why free-traders and all Americans should back Trump on China policy

The Hill ^ | May 12, 2019 | Stephen Moore

[Innovative]

I’m a free-trader and I hate tariffs — which are consumer taxes — but if ever there were a right time to impose punitive tariffs, it is now, and it is against China. President Trump is on the side of the angels on this one, and this is the right moment to shut down China’s abusive trade practices forever.

Start with the basic facts: The average tariff that we imposed on China when Trump entered the White House was about 4 percent. China’s tariffs on us were about 10 percent and, even when including the 10 percent tariff that Trump first imposed on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports in 2018, our tariffs were still lower than theirs. So the playing field is not level and is especially tilted against us, given that Beijing’s non-tariff barriers in China can make it prohibitively expensive to do business there. We have an open market competing against the world’s second-largest economy whose doors are slammed shut.

[SomeCallMeTim]

We’re ALWAYS looking for cheaper, or more preferably better raw materials. For us, it’s a difficult process to change .. as our requirements are quite exacting.

This new round of tariffs will cause disruption. But, changes like this also create opportunity. If we manage it better than our competitors, we win.

Trump is correct : virtually everywhere in the world, for nearly every product, we face higher tariffs when we try to export than what we have for imports. It’s DEFINITELY NOT a “ fair trade” environment.

[Concentrate]

I doubt it. It seems unreasonably sudden to adjust to the changes in my view.

Besides, they know that there is a likely chance that the POTUS will be a Dem in the next election and undo most of these actions anyway. They’ll wait it out.