US, China jockey for global support as trade war shows no sign of abating

The US last month slapped tariffs on a further $200 billion in Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate on $60 billion in American products

The US and China are set to use the latest gathering of the world’s finance chiefs to marshal support for their respective cases in a trade dispute that shows no sign of ending soon.

Finance ministers and central bankers from the International Monetary Fund’s 189 member nations are gathering in Bali, Indonesia this week for the fund’s annual meeting. While the agenda will include discussions on the broader health of the global economy, it will also be an opportunity for American and Chinese officials to cobble together alliances.

On one side is President Donald Trump, who argues his tariffs are a necessary