President Trump is expected to sign a memorandum on Friday taking aim at China’s intellectual property and trade practices, CNBC reported Wednesday.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative would then initiate an investigation into China’s trade practices. That probe could result in the U.S. imposing tariffs on imports from China.
The president has been mulling a crackdown on China’s intelligence property and trade practices, signaling growing frustration between the Trump administration and China over Beijing’s failure to do more to rein in North Korea.
{mosads}Trump initially sought to pressure China to do more about North Korea’s rapidly advancing weapons programs.
But he has voiced frustration recently after Pyongyang’s successful tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles and the death of American college student Otto Warmbier, who was held prisoner in North Korea for 17 months before being returned to the U.S. in a coma.
Politico reported on Monday that administration officials were considering economic sanctions, trade restrictions and other measures against China.
“I am very disappointed in China,” Trump tweeted on Sunday. “Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do nothing for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!”