The United States sparred with China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday over the legality of U.S. tariffs in response to alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum last week proposing tariffs on up to $60 billion of Chinese goods over what his administration says is misappropriation of U.S. intellectual property. The tariffs would follow a 30-day consultation period that starts once a list of targets is published.
Chinese officials raised the U.S. move at a meeting of the WTO's dispute settlement body and indicated that China strongly opposed the unilateral action, according to a trade official who attended the meeting.