US Officials To Go To Beijing; Huawei Under US Criminal Investigation; Technological Self-reliance; Xi Visits Hubei; PRC Annual Report On US Human Rights
The US is sending a large team of senior officials to Beijing next week. Perhaps there is the possibility for real breakthroughs, but if they leave without significant progress then the odds of the US imposing massive tariffs likely increases. One question the reporting and rumor mill around this trip has raised is whether the Trump Administration has a unified view of an acceptable outcome with the Chinese. I have my doubts..
The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that the US Department of Justice is investigating Huawei for violating Iran sanctions. This development raises lots of questions:
Remember the leak about a draft Trump Administration plan to counter China in 5G? Could sanctions similar to those imposed on ZTE be on the table for Huawei?;
Wouldn't cutting off Huawei's access to US technology cripple its 5G plans in the near-term, while also causing massive collateral damage to tech firms in the US and elsewhere?
Has the Trump Administration decided it is better to fight …