Trump signs sanctions on Russia, may act on China
Clearly unconstitutional provisions included, he says
WASHINGTON US president Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a legislation that imposes new sanctions on Russia and severely limits his ability to roll them back amid reports his administration was also mulling trade actions against China.
The legislation was passed last week by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.
“While I favour tough measures to punish and deter aggressive and destabilising behaviour by Iran, North Korea, and Russia, this legislation is significantly flawed,” Trump said in a statement.
“In its haste to pass this legislation, the Congress included a number of clearly unconstitutional provisions.”
The legislation covers sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea, but the part Trump found most objectionable was a provision enjoining him to notify Congress and give it a 30-daynotice to consider and block any move by him to roll back the Russia sanctions.
Reports said Trump administration is planning an investigation into China’s intellectual property rights regime and related market access requirements that could potentially trigger punitive trade measures, and escalate tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Axios news-site reported that an investigation is likely by the US trade representative under Section 301 of the Trade Act for alleged violation of the US intellectual property rights and for forcing foreign companies to transfer technology to their local partners and subsidiaries as a condition for entering China.