(Breitbart) President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering a “fine” against China as part of his administration’s probe into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property.
The comments, made in an interview with Reuters, appear to signal an increased willingness to take retaliatory trade action against China.
The U.S. launched a formal investigation this summer into allegations that China facilitates the theft of U.S. technology and intellectual property, in some cases forcing U.S. companies into delivering technology into Chinese hands as a cost of doing business. Under U.S. trade law, the administration can impose retalitory tarrifs and other trade sanctions against China if it concludes China is engaged in wrongdoing. Earlier reports from the U.S. government found China to be the worst infringer of intellectual property rights in the world.