Trump's unfair tariffs will achieve little, and hurt many

Singapore

WITH the ink barely dry on the executive order authorising tariffs on steel and aluminium, US President Donald Trump has dramatically upped the ante by threatening to impose a draconian set of protectionist measures on China.

These include tariffs on US$60 billion worth of Chinese goods, the full list of which will be revealed within two weeks but which will likely cover hundreds of items, ranging from clothing to furniture to consumer electronics. In addition, Mr Trump ordered restrictions on Chinese investment in the US in several high-tech sectors.

While some complaints about China's trade practices are justified and are shared by companies outside the US, Mr Trump's ham-handed approach t…