Donald Trump’s pick as US trade representative has vowed to find new ways to crack down on unfair trade practices by China, suggesting that the World Trade Organisation is ill-equipped to deal with Beijing’s industrial policy, the Financial Times reports. Addressing a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Robert Lighthizer said Trump remained committed to getting tough with Beijing and using a “multi-faceted approach” to crack down on trade abuses. “I believe [Mr Trump] is going to change the paradigm on China,” Lighthizer told senators. Asked how he planned to address Chinese overproduction of steel and other products, the former Reagan administration official said he believed that dealing with Beijing called for creative new US approaches outside the WTO. “I don’t believe that the WTO was set up to deal effectively for a country like China and their industrial policy,” he said.
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