Trump nominates China critic as deputy US trade envoy

US President Donald Trump has nominated Dennis Shea, vice-chairman of a congressional commission that has been highly critical of China, as deputy US Trade Representative, the White House said on Tuesday.

The move adds another China trade hawk to Trump’s trade policy team, joining US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro, the White House director of trade and industrial policy.

The nomination, possibly made due to pressure from Republican establishment, means more restrictions on Chinese exports or investments may be on the way, according to observers.

Shea is vice-chairman of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which is charged with annually assessing the security, economic and trade relationship between the two countries, including China’s compliance with its commitments to the World Trade Organisation.

The panel recommended in November that US lawmakers take action to ban China’s state-owned firms from acquiring US companies, arguing that Beijing uses state back firms to advance its national security objectives.