Trump Can Only Choose Either North Korea or Section 301 Probe

 Trump Can Only Choose Either North Korea or Section 301 Probe

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

August 17, 2017

 Translation of an Excerpt

US President Trump on August 14^th signed an executive memo at the White House, formally invoking a Section 301 probe against China. Behind Trump’s move lie many calculations; it also entangles the livelihoods of many trades, including those in Taiwan, possibly even igniting a trade war between the US and China. However, judging from East Asia security, the United States still needs China's cooperation; in so far as priorities of overall strategy and issues are concerned, the United States and China should be able, as much as possible, to avoid being drawn into a mutually debilitating trade war.

There are several facets in Trump’s motive to invoke a Section 301 probe: on the economic/trade side, it aims to crack down on the ever-increasing violations of intellectual property rights on the part of the Mainland, preventing the drain of US interests. On the facet of crucial technology, it aims to counter China’s forcible acquisition of US state-of-the-art technology so as to avoid the loss of advantages in competition between nations on the part of the US. In geopolitics, it aims to compel China to heighten its pressure on North Korea, helping the US to resolve the threat of nuclear attack.

Viewed from the development of history, Chinese influence is rising and expanding, and the United States is the existing superpower. China, in many spheres, butts against the US, and the US has also tried to counter China; this is inevitable in big power politics. However, competition and cooperation may co-exist. Both powers may butt heads to the point of breaking, obtaining what each needs and gaining benefits for each; that would be the ideal strategy. Talking about economic/trade issues without considering other factors, the US suffers a trade deficit as high as US$347 billion; many American and European companies complain that China forces them to hand over industrial secrets, which has been an issue long in existence. On the one hand, it involves huge, complex and numerous details of various industries, but on the other hand, it is related to national development strategies; this is something that can’t be clarified and settled in a short period of time.

Trump has waved the big stick of a Section 301 probe; in the final count of losses and gains, we are afraid, he may not win much. Conversely, the North Korean crisis may even further deteriorate. Weighing the priorities, the United States should ponder with caution. 

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