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Donald Trump is considering prices on countries withdrawing digital services against US companies and the tightening of Chinese investment rules in the United States when it widens the scope of its world trade war.
The president signed a service note on Friday ordering the American commercial representative to examine the reopening surveys started during his first mandate in the taxes on the digital services imposed by a multitude of EU countries as well as the United Kingdom and Turkey. It also assesses new potential probes on other countries, including Canada.
“My administration will not allow US companies and workers and American and national security interests to be compromised by unilateral anti-competitive policies and practices of foreign governments,” the president in memo wrote.
Since the office resumption, Trump has sought to reshape the country’s trade relations with the world, threatening and performing a range of prices against various countries and sectors.
He had already pointed out that the taxes on digital services would be in sight while he seeks to lead to the major technological groups of the country abroad and to revise the global tax regime.
Under the memo, Washington will examine the taxes imposed by foreign governments on American companies as well as to all regulations or policies which “inhibit growth” or “compromise [the] Intellectual property ”of American societies operating abroad.
The memo mentions digital service taxes in France and the United Kingdom, whose leaders are ready to visit Washington for interviews with the president in the coming days.
“What they do in other countries are terrible with digital,” Trump said on Friday before signing.
The president also signed a memorandum aimed at stimulating foreign investments in the country while protecting national security against China and other opponents. He said the administration would create an “accelerated” process to allow the investment of American allies and partners.
The service note has added that the United States (CFIUS), which is intended for transactions related to the interior for security risks, would be used to “restrict Chinese investments in strategic sectors Americans such as technology, critical infrastructure, health care, agriculture, energy, raw materials, and others. ”
Former President Joe Biden ordered CFIUS to adopt a more difficult approach to China in a range of similar sectors, including technology.
The White House has declared that it would protect agricultural and real estate land near sensitive military facilities and strengthen the authority of CFIUS on “Greenfield” investments, where companies build or extend new facilities and operations in a foreign country .
He declared that the administration would examine new or extended restrictions on outgoing American investment in China in sensitive technologies, including fleas, artificial intelligence, quantum and biotechnology, to prevent the capital from being Used to support the strategy of “military and civilian military” of China, which forces Chinese companies that share technology with the popular liberation army.
“We will also adopt new rules to prevent US companies from paying investments in China and to prevent China from buying America, allowing all investments that clearly serve American interests,” Trump said in a statement.
Additional Steff Chávez report in Washington
