The setback comes at a time when Chinese and American officials appeared to be making progress toward defusing, at least temporarily, a trade war that has been underway for more than a year. The United States has already placed tariffs on more than $360 billion of Chinese products. It plans to raise tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods to 30 percent on Oct. 15 and impose more levies in December. But economic and political pressure is growing on both sides to ease the trade war. Manufacturing in the United States continues to contract as businesses express concern about the uncertainty posed by the trade fight.

Source: International New York Times October 04, 2019 21:34 UTC