Donald Trump triggered a new bout of global trade turmoil on Friday, as his administration cleared the way for new tariffs on China and the US president lashed out at Canada, a day after having cut off talks with his country’s northern neighbour.
The US trade representative’s office began a probe that could lead the way to further duties on imports from China, an announcement that came just before Trump’s scheduled departure for high-stakes negotiations in Asia — including a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The US administration said it was looking into whether Beijing had complied with a trade deal struck during Trump’s first term — an investigation that risks increasing tension between the world’s two largest economies in the run-up to next Thursday’s US-China summit.