Trump targets China on alleged tech theft
President Trump signed an executive memorandum Monday afternoon that will likely trigger an investigation into China’s suspected theft of U.S. intellectual property, a measure that could eventually result in a wide range of penalties as the administration seeks a new way to deal with what it calls Chinese violations of the rules of international trade.
“It’s a very big move,” Trump said, as he signed the memo surrounded by trade advisers and company executives. “This is just the beginning, I want to tell you that. This is just the beginning.”
Officials said the memorandum would direct their top trade negotiator, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, to determine whether to open an investigation. The inquiry would give the president broad authority to retaliate if it finds that China is compromising U.S. intellectual property.
But senior White House officials said in a call with reporters Saturday that the investigation could take up to a year to conclude and that it was premature to say whether it would result in tariffs against China, a negotiated settlement or some other kind of outcome.
Despite the uncertainties, company executives and politicians widely greeted the investigation as an early effort to deal with an issue that has persistently troubled U.S. high technology industries of all kinds — with companies disputing treatment in fields ranging from nuclear power to automobiles to telecom.
A White House official said the measure had the support both of Silicon Valley and areas that had been damaged by trade under past administrations, like the Rust Belt.
In an emailed response early Sunday morning, the Chinese government denied the allegations and implied that it might challenge any U.S. action in the World Trade Organization.
Ana Swanson is a Washington Post writer.