Trump picks Death by China author for trade advisory role

Washington

US President-elect Donald Trump named Peter Navarro, an economist who has urged a hard line on trade with China, to head a newly formed White House National Trade Council, the transition team said on Wednesday. He also named his former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, now a key adviser, as his choice to serve as White House counsellor to the president.

Prof Navarro is an academic and one-time investment adviser who has authored a number of popular books and made a film describing China's threat to the US economy as well as Beijing's desire to become the dominant economic and military power in Asia.

Mr Trump's team praised Prof Navarro in a statement as a "visionary" economist who would "develop trade policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand our growth, and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores". Mr Trump, a Republican, made trade a centrepiece of his presidential campaign and railed against what he said were bad deals the US had made with other countries. He has threatened to hit Mexico and China with high tariffs once he takes office on Jan 20.

Prof Navarro, 67, is a professor at University of California, Irvine, and advised Mr Trump during the campaign. He has authored several books including Death by China: How America Lost its Manufacturing Base, which was made into a documentary film.

As well as describing what he sees as America's losing economic war with China, Prof Navarro has highlighted concerns over environmental issues related to Chinese imports and the theft of US intellectual property.

While Mr Trump in the statement praised the "clarity" of Prof Navarro's arguments and the "thoroughness of his research", few other economists have endorsed Prof Navarro's ideas.

Marcus Noland, an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, likened a tax and trade paper authored by Prof Navarro and Wilbur Ross, who has been named as Mr Trump's commerce secretary, to "the type of magical thinking best reserved for fictional realities" for what he said was its flawed economic analysis.

Prof Navarro has also suggested a stepped-up engagement with Taiwan, including assistance with a submarine development programme.

He argued that Washington should stop referring to the "One China" policy, but stopped short of suggesting it should recognise Taipei, saying: "There is no need to unnecessarily poke the Panda."

China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control.

Mr Trump who also named Ms Conway as White House counsellor said that she "has been a trusted adviser and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory". In a statement he called her "a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message".

Ms Conway, 49, the first woman campaign manager of either major political party to win a presidential general election, said that she was "humbled and honoured" to be named to the position. "I want to thank the president-elect for this amazing opportunity," said Ms Conway, who prior to her work with Mr Trump was a political pollster and consultant specialising in targeting women voters.

"A Trump presidency will bring real change to Washington and to Americans across this great nation. REUTERS, AFP