As the U.S. and China unveiled sweeping tariffs on each other this week, Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler spoke with John Ydstie on NPR's All Things Considered about what the trade spat could mean for the world's two largest economies.

At the center of the escalating trade dispute is the U.S. claim that under China’s forced technology transfer policies, American and foreign companies are required to share their technology as a condition for investing in China. Cutler notes that this is a “serious threat that needs to be addressed,” but that the proposed tariffs violate World Trade Organization rules and would threaten a trade war.

Cutler has repeatedly stated that a trade war would be harmful to both countries, noting to NPR that she hopes a recently agreed-upon waiting period “can be used by both sides to get to the table and see if they can find a path forward together to resolve their differences.” (3 min., 41 sec.)