China can counter Trump using his own trade playbook

Hanscom Smith is a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson School of Global Affairs and a retired Department of State Foreign Service officer.

The Trump administration's Feb. 13 announcement of a "fair and reciprocal plan" for trade appears to set the stage for retaliation against any American economic partner deemed to engage in unfair trade. Interestingly, the White House statement leads with current examples from India, Brazil and the European Union. China appears only at the end, with reference to actions taken during the first Trump administration. That may be because the U.S. already slapped a 10% tariff on Chinese imports on Feb. 1. But it might also reflect the fact that compared with his first term, Trump confronts a markedly tougher Chinese opponent.