The import of that remark became clear when Mr. Trump declared that he was open to revisiting the Trans-Pacific Partnership that he had pulled out of last year. Echoing Mr. Trump’s new thinking are also talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The ultimate test of the protectionist campaign is the action that Mr. Trump has initiated on China. Overruling his Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Mr. Trump launched the probe despite Beijing’s offer to cut excess capacity by 150 million tonnes by 2022. That, combined with South Korea’s World Trade Organisation challenge over safeguard tariffs, points to looming confrontation on Mr. Trump’s combative trade stance.

Source: The Hindu February 06, 2018 18:45 UTC