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THE ONGOING TRADE war between the US and China stepped up a gear yesterday after China announced it would be imposing painful tariffs on $60 billion worth of US exports by next month.
It comes in response to the decision from US President Donald Trump to slap similar tariffs on Chinese exports into the US last week.
Yesterday, Trump tweeted that things would “only get worse” if China retaliated, but Beijing said last night it was taking the measures as a response to the US’s “unilateralism and trade protectionism”.
Both sides left the door open for reconciliation with Trump saying he expected a “fruitful” meeting next month with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at a Group of 20 summit in Japan. China, meanwhile, said it hoped it could work with the US on a “win-win agreement”.
The US president and other senior officials have claimed they have the upper hand in the trade war but the measures announced yesterday by China include boycotting US agriculture, dumping American debt and cutting orders for Boeing aircraft.
The increase in duty rates targets a range of American agricultural and manufactured goods, kicking levies up as high as 25%, according to a statement by the Tariff Policy Commission of the State Council – China’s cabinet.
Despite the retaliation, Beijing also appeared to give time to find a resolution by setting the June 1 date for those increases to take effect.
But in a news conference, Trump was buoyant, telling reporters that his decision to increase tariffs was “a very positive step”.
“I love the position we’re in,” he said during a joint news conference at the White House with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
“There can be some retaliation but it can’t be very substantial by comparison.”
Trump called on manufacturers fearful of the US tariff increases to build their wares in the United States – or at least outside of China.
He said he was considering adding 25% duties on the remaining $325 billion in Chinese exports not currently subject to US tariffs.
“That is a tremendous amount of money that would come into our country,” Trump said. “I have not made that decision yet.”
Trump launched the trade war last year to extract profound economic reforms from Beijing, accusing China of seeking to forge global industrial dominance through massive state intervention in markets and the theft of American technology – all in violations of its commitments upon joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Beijing rejects the charges and the United States and China have so far exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade.
“China will never surrender to external pressure,” foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular briefing yesterday.
Economists say the US-China trade war will weigh on the global economy, which is already forecast to slow this year.
With reporting from AFP
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Colette . . Just type “I’m Pat Kenny, go fcuk yourself Ireland” into the teleprompter . . then you’ll land yourself the full gig.
Pat Kenny isn’t on RTE anymore!? Well flip me pink!
Maybe she drop kick his dog into Dublin bay too. I bet that’s how she rolls.
@Blind Faith:
@Blind Faith: pretty sure he’s said that before anyway
Can’t believe people still watch tv.
If there was a nuclear holocaust in the morning the only survivors would be RTE staff and Pat Kenny.
Brilliant!!
Wednesdays @ 9:30?…damn, what a pity…….I cut my toenails on Wednesday evenings.
Looking at your clipped toe nails would be better than staring at his mug
sam…uhhhhhhg. you live dangerous babe ( no offence Al)
Boring
@john keyes:
NOT this p;;ck again
thats a nice word for it. Irish tv channels are just boring us to death..politics politics and just more politics. RTE radio is just as bad health problem, politics, another health problem…oh and then a health problem caused by politics. Its so tiring now…its no wonder everyone who hasnt a numbed brain is turning to the other channels..at least on the other channels its entertainment. All the Irish channels have managed to do is go back to the 1980s.
Jenni, not as bad as ‘pain in the ass’ sport, sport, sport.
don’t mind sport so much..even though they can go on a bit…I wouldnt mind a health slot once or twice a week..but nowadays its all they talk about. Like the ray darcy show..it should just be called ‘ doctors and patients, and porridge’. boring tf.
Doctors, patients and porridge!!..Haha..you have a way with words Jenni!!
thanks dee..
Xxx
@jenni:
“Irish tv channels are just boring us to death..politics politics and just more politics.”
“don’t mind sport so much..even though they can go on a bit…”
You’ve hit the nail on the head.
RTÉ has an analysis programme in the afternoon on Budget Day on RTÉ 1 and News Now and the Dáil debate on the budget itself on RTÉ 2 (Not to mention the fact that the Oireachtas channel is now on Saorview).
@jenni
As for sport, the All-Ireland Football Final is replayed when it ends in a draw and there is extra-time if the replay ends in a draw. The GAA is out to make as much money as it can. The whole thing is a pest!
Is there a section where he crawls up his own @rse?
He has to remove the plank first.
A less sexist title would have been “Pat Kenny and Woman”.
Hahaha!
How does she manage to juggle it all?
It must be a handfull.
They really get their monies worth out of the staff on that station. ..
When is that old codger Gay Byrne getting a new gig,or has he managed to hang onto his money this time?
More of his predictable old shite. I think it should be called the p*!#k show.
Why did you just not type plank?!
Pat Kenny is infallible.
He has even better self esteem than Trump.
Kenny’s ego completes with Bono’s for size.
“PK is back on television” i think RICK should be included.
You mean RIC?
I find political chat shows pretty addictive, especially around election time or any crisis like our recession, Greek collapse, Brexit…when we could be spun in any direction even back in time. Pat can get to the heart of a topic but he has the unfortunate habit of always trying to upstage his guests even in their chossen fields of specialty…relax Pat we know you are a smart puppy, you are there to ask the questions not answer them as well. Maybe Colette will put manners on his ego.
Excellent broadcaster. Looking forward to it!
I’m getting the popcorn and waiting on the replies to this comment
@Qwerty: There’s no accounting for taste.
@Fear Uisce:
I don’t know why people hate him. He was always a square peg in a round hole when it came to entertainment on the Late Late, I’ll give you that. But he’s superb at current affairs.
If you want a presenter for a show with intelligence, knowledge, class, sophistication and acerbic wit, then Pat is first choice hands down.
There’s nothing stopping any of the moaners on here trying their hand at broadcasting themselves. They could upload themselves doing a show on YouTube for example for free. But this is Ireland where we begrudge success and talent. Such a pity.
@Qwerty: He done wonders for UTV…….oh wait…..
qwerty…now wouldnt that be a sight..the commentors on here going for a broadcasting job..thats a tv show in itself. ah sure half the commentors on here are yfg..probably taking courses from Varadker on how to pose for the camera
And how to run their gob as well
@Al Ca:
UTV Ireland was a flop due to regurgitating mindless muck like soaps, game shows and other filler from ITV. Pat’s high-calibre broadcasting had nothing to do with it.
ha ha ha..lol…like TV3 was not a copy of ITV, before UTV Ireland. UTV I was such a mess because it was just absolute crap. And TV3 managed to hold onto the bigger programmes. whats the best on utv i..judge rennick, and thats bottom of the barrell if you only had one tv station in the world crsp, you would rather smash the tv than watch that tripe.
@jenni:
You’re right. Judge Rinder should be tried for gross indecency.
@Qwerty:
And he was never even an actual judge, unlike Judy!
Yawn . . .
How on earth are these dinosaurs still getting gigs with RTE – this why we pay a tv licence?
It’s tv3 …
Same stuff different day – he will drag Colette down to his level of broadcasting
I.hope this won’t effect Vincent
I would really, really love, all that free space in my head, to find it sexist, that, the anchor could have only, and only, his name in the “name of the show, name”?
The unwanted return
Ah sure he need the gig to pay for his squatters right on gorse hill with his elderly neighbour !
Nope twice bitten and all that if he’s not good for RTE
he left rte.
Why not just call it PC tonight
She’s a complete an utter a hole so she’s well suited to pat Kenny
I’d rather watch paint dry than watch pat kenny on any show
130year life experence between them give us a break
Planktastic
Will Pat be reading out bogus tweets?
@Joey Hickman:) I see you’ve put your Foot in it again!
Can’t wait !
If you blur your eyes at the picture of Pat and Collette you see this https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/36/10/95/3610956aaa115b4513426886c0e7b338.jpg
I’m sure Mr Kenny fought tooth & nail to have it stipulated that it was the PK show. In fairness to Collette she’s in the top 3 women TV celebrities!
Pat Kenny should give this job to a younger person , I will never loock at this program, TV has a new low
The PK TV show, sounds like the 2nd coming! Set you’re watches guys!
Planktastic
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