World Trade Org Rules Trump’s Tariffs On China Illegal

Bloomberg News reports:

The World Trade Organization undercut the main justification for President Donald Trump’s trade war against China, saying that American tariffs on Chinese goods violate international rules.

Washington has imposed levies on $400 billion in Chinese exports. The panel said in its report “that the United States had not met its burden of demonstrating that the measures are provisionally justified.”

While the ruling bolsters Beijing’s claims, Washington can effectively veto the decision by lodging an appeal at any point in the next 60 days. That’s because the Trump administration has already paralyzed the WTO’s appellate body, a tactic that has rendered toothless the world’s foremost arbiter of trade.

BREAKING: Trump Violated Trade Rules With Tariffs Against China, World Trade Organization Rules https://t.co/3st6MSq3uc @bbaschuk via @business

— Mike Dorning (@MikeDorning) September 15, 2020

GENEVA (AP) — World Trade Organization rules that Trump administration tariffs on Chinese goods worth over $200 billion are illegal.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 15, 2020