U.S. Should Use WTO Mechanisms in Trade Disputes with China
Kevin Rudd on Bloomberg
On August 17, 2017, ASPI President Kevin Rudd spoke to Bloomberg’s David Westin about U.S.-China trade relations and President Trump’s indication that he may take tough actions against China on intellectual property and steel.
Rudd said, “My only caution to the government of the United States would be this: use the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO); use the dispute mechanisms which are set up under the WTO; use your bilateral trade dispute resolution mechanisms. Because those can be prosecuted, they can be dealt with, they can be brought to conclusion. If you just walk away from that and de facto end up declaring a trade war, god knows where that ends, including hurting American interests as well.”
Rudd warned that if the United States, which is “the founder of the WTO,” were to ignore a WTO ruling and start “operating outside WTO mechanisms,” it would “destroy global trade law.” (2 min., 55 sec.)