President-elect Trump completes his trade team

World Today

President-elect Trump completes his trade team2

Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump has announced his choice for Commerce Secretary, making his trade team is complete.

So what does it tell us about the future of trade between the world’s two largest economies? CGTN’s Jessica Stone reports.

According to a Trump spokesperson, the team will be led by billionaire investor, Wilbur Ross. Ross will set White House trade policy, along with business professor, Peter Navarro.

In a white paper they wrote for the campaign, they blamed China’s 2001 entry to the World Trade Organization for “accelerating the offshoring of America’s factories” called China a “the biggest trade cheater in the World” and pledged to confront “China’s continued high tariffs” on American products. In response to the Navarro announcement, Beijing pushed back.

“We hope the U.S. side can work with China to maintain a healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations including trade relations,” Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Former Reagan trade official, Robert Lighthizer is Trump’s choice for U.S. Trade Representative. Lighthizer has called for going outside the WTO to resolve trade disputes, and advocates taking an “aggressive approach in dealing with China.” Beijing is watching closely.

Job creation was a key campaign pledge for Donald Trump, and he’s pledged to renegotiate major trade agreements that affect U.S. manufacturing workers. The Trump White House will have a newly-created National Trade Council to be run by China critic Navarro.