DuringtheearlydaysofTrump’sadministration,theMar-a-lagosummit,heldbetweenUSandChineseleaders,onceinjectedhigh-levelmomentumintobilateraltradetalksandlaidasolidfoundationforthereleaseoftheinitialactionsoftheChina-USEconomicCooperation100-DayPlan.ThebilateraltraderelationsbeganamicablyearlyinTrump’spresidency.However,theUSsoonbegantoplayhardballagainstChina,initiatinganti-dumpingandcountervailinginvestigationsandimposingpunitivedutiesonseveralChineseimports,andlaunchedtheSection301investigationonwhatitallegedwasChina’stheftofUSintellectualproperty.TheUSalsodeniedChina’smarketeconomystatus,promotedreformsthatgaveastrongerhandtotheCommitteeonForeignInvestmentintheUnitedStates(CFIUS),vetoedseveralmergersandacquisitionscasesinvolvingChineseinvestmentintheUSandinterferedintherelevantoperationsofChineseenterprises.Recently,ithasevenspearheadedChineseproductsandinvestmentinstrategichightechfields.ThispolicytransitionnotonlyembodiesTrump’s“AmericaFirst”principlebutalsoshowsthatnon-economicfactorshaveplayedanincreasinglyimportantroleinUSpolicy-making.
