Pompeo: ‘We are determined to win’ trade war with China

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the Trump administration has no intent of backing off its aggressive trade policies toward China, saying the administration is “going to win” a trade war between the two nations.

“The trade war by China against the United States has been going on for years. Here’s what’s different in this administration: to the extent one wants to call this a trade war, we are determined to win it,” Pompeo said on “Fox News Sunday.”

He said the president is willing to continue ratcheting up pressure on China for as long as it takes to secure the desired result.

{mosads}”We’re gonna win it,” Pompeo said. “We’re going to get an outcome which forces China to behave in a way that, if you want to be a power, a global power — transparency, rule of law, you don’t steal intellectual property — the fundamental principles of trade around the world … those are things the American people are demanding and the American workers deserve.”

Chinese officials on Saturday canceled planned trade talks with the U.S. after the Trump administration announced its latest round of tariffs targeting $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The announcement prompted China to retaliate with tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. imports.

The latest announcement marked President Trump’s harshest penalty on Chinese goods in a stretch that has seen the two countries slap tariffs on each other’s goods. The back-and-forth has raised concerns that a trade war between the world’s two largest economies could adversely affect the global economy.

Despite warnings from Republicans and Democrats that tariffs could ultimately harm American consumers and workers, Trump has remained committed to the tactic, arguing that it is necessary to secure improved trade deals.