Opinion | Donald Trump’s new tariffs may herald a trade war, but China has its own set of weapons

US President Donald Trump’s move to slap punitive tariffs on solar panels and washing machines, mostly imports from China, is an opening salvo in a trade clash between the world’s two largest economies that is likely to escalate, despite the personal rapport cultivated with President Xi Jinping.

The decision represents a major step towards fulfilling Trump ’s campaign promise to get tough on trade partners, particularly China, after winning the election on a hawkish platform. Under the Trade Act of 1974, the president may impose tariffs on imports deemed to hurt US industries. More actions loom on trade secrets, steel and aluminium, raising the prospects for a more confrontational relationship between the world’s key economic rivals and top political adversaries – the leading free democracy and last major communist-ruled power – which could herald the dawn of a dangerous new era for relations.

This development may signify the failure of joint efforts by Trump and Xi to navigate the most important bilateral relations in global diplomacy today and could well prolong their temporary suspension of the main official US-China dialogue to bolster economic ties.

The move followed publication of two China-related policy statements by the Trump administration. The national security strategy report identifies China as a “strategic competitor”, which seeks to erode US security and prosperity, and the 2017 Report to Congress on China’s WTO Compliance suggests widespread intellectual property theft and cyber espionage, forcing technology transfers and discriminatory practices limiting US companies’ access to the Chinese market.