News analysis: Political pressure mounting on administration to take action against China

摘要

Pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to retaliate against China in some fashion for its role in the coronavirus pandemic - and with tariffs one of the president's favorite policy tools, analysts say Beijing could soon be hit with new duties. President Trump has been presented with a bevy of options to retaliate against China as the administration and many Republicans aim to blame China for the pandemic that has launched the U.S. economy into a tailspin. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that those options include canceling U.S. debt obligations to China, stripping China of sovereign immunity rights that shield it from lawsuits brought by the U.S. government and citizens, and an executive order aimed at reshoring manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. The Post, citing senior U.S. officials sources, did not suggest new tariffs on China were an option in its initial report.