Donald Trump orders $50-bn hit on China goods amid trade war fears

Policy makers across the world are warning of a brewing trade war that could undermine the broadest global recovery in years. US stocks fell sharply early Thursday amid worries that the US action coul

President Donald Trump took his boldest step to level the economic playing field with China, ordering sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods in a move that could escalate already tense trade relations between the world’s two biggest economies.

The president instructed US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to levy tariffs on at least $50 billion in Chinese imports. Trump signed an executive memo issuing the instructions on Thursday at the White House. Within 15 days, USTR will come up with a proposed list of products that will face higher tariffs.

“This has been long in the making,” Trump said, adding that the