WSJ: US seeks trade deals to pressure partners into isolating China

The US administration plans to use trade tariff negotiations to pressure America's trading partners into imposing restrictions on China.

"The idea is to secure commitments from U.S. trading partners to isolate China's economy in exchange for a reduction in trade and tariff barriers imposed by the White House," the newspaper writes, Caliber.Az reports, citing WSJ.

According to the report, American negotiators are seeking agreements with more than 70 countries to ban the re-export of Chinese goods through their territories and to prevent Chinese companies from setting up operations there to circumvent U.S. tariffs.

These measures are aimed at "undermining China's already fragile economy," forcing Beijing to come to the negotiating table, and weakening its leverage ahead of possible talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, the newspaper notes.

The exact demands may vary significantly depending on each country’s level of economic involvement with China, the publication adds.

The idea originated with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who considers the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, India, and Japan as priority partners for concluding such agreements.

By Khagan Isayev