US-China trade war is battle for tech hegemony in disguise

Washington fears loss of both economic supremacy and security

The trade war between the U.S. and China is fundamentally a conflict over security.

HIROYUKI AKITA, Nikkei commentator

August 19, 2018 14:48 JST

TOKYO -- An all-out trade war between the U.S. and China is looming large with the annual value of Chinese products subject to U.S. punitive import tariffs rising to $50 billion on Aug. 23.

President Donald Trump's administration has similar trade sanctions in its sights for half the nation's imports from China. What is Trump aiming for? How far will he go?