China Starts Trade Probes Against US Before Xi-Trump Summit

Gantry cranes and shipping containers in Shenzhen.Source: Bloomberg

China started a pair of investigations into US trade practices, retaliating against similar probes by the Trump administration as the superpowers stake out positions before an expected presidential summit in May.

The move, announced by the Ministry of Commerce on Friday, is a direct mirror of steps US President Donald Trump took to revive his tariff agenda after the Supreme Court last month struck down some of his duties.