川普政府考慮對中國採取貿易行動

The Trump administration is considering whether to initiate an action that could lead to the United States imposing tariffs and other trade restrictions on Chinese imports.

U.S. news outlets say President Donald Trump will direct U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to begin an investigation of China's trade practices under a section of the 1974 Trade Act. The section is aimed at protecting U.S. industries from unfair trade practices of foreign countries.

Administration officials say a formal announcement could be made within the next several days.

President Trump and members of his economic team have long accused China of engaging in trade practices that have harmed American businesses, from excess steel imports to theft of intellectual properties. In an opinion piece published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross accused China, as well as Europe, of subsidizing their exports through such means as "grants, low-cost loans, energy subsidies, special value-added tax refunds" and other means.

Despite its complaints, the Trump administration had emphasized cooperation with Beijing during its first six months in office. But bilateral trade talks last month failed to end with an agreement, and the administration has become increasingly frustrated with China's apparent reluctance to pressure North Korea to curb its nuclear and ballistic missile program川普政府正在考慮是否要採取可能導致美國對中國進口商品施加關稅等貿易限制的行動。

據美國媒體報道，川普總統將指示美國貿易代表羅伯特·萊特希澤根據1974年貿易法的301條款對中國的貿易行爲展開調查。301條款的目的是保護美國產業不受外國不公平貿易行爲的傷害。

美國政府官員說，正式消息幾天內可能就會宣佈。

川普總統和他的經濟團隊一直指責中國傾銷鋼材和竊取知識產權等貿易行爲都對美國商業造成了傷害。美國商務部長威爾伯·羅斯星期二在華爾街日報上發表評論文章，指責中國和歐洲通過“補助金、低息貸款、能源補貼和特別增值稅退款”等手段補貼出口。

儘管如此，川普政府任期頭六個月還是強調與北京的合作。然而，上個月的美中雙邊貿易會談沒能達成協議，而且川普政府覺得，中國顯然是不願對朝鮮施加壓力，以控制朝鮮的核武器和彈道導彈項目，這種情況也讓川普政府越來越感到氣餒。