Trump on thinner political ice than Xi in trade war

Reelection bid raises need for quick truce to keep economy humming

20190903 Trump China

Tariff figures give a possibly misleading impression that U.S. President Donald Trump has an advantage over Chinese leader Xi Jinping. © AP

AKIO FUJII, Nikkei senior editorial writer

TOKYO -- The latest round of tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S. and China has expanded the dimensions of their trade war, and the lopsided totals of goods affected give the impression that Donald Trump has the upper hand over his counterpart Xi Jinping.

Domestic politics, however, make the U.S. president's position a lot dicier than it looks.

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