Donald Trump’s trade policy has been more measured than his campaign rhetoric, but on Monday he ramped up the pressure on China by ordering an investigation into its rampant theft of intellectual property from U.S. firms. The danger is that the stick the President is brandishing, Section 302(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, could harm efforts to open markets to American goods. Mr. Trump is right that China is breaking the promises it made to enter the World Trade Organization in 2001. Instead of embracing freer trade, the...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 14, 2017 23:26 UTC