O’Rourke releases trade plan that includes ending China trade war

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) on Thursday unveiled a trade plan that includes ending President Trump’s trade war with China.  

The Democratic presidential candidate wrote in a Medium post that he would end President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods on his first day as president. 

“On day one, Beto will end Trump’s trade wars, which have not only failed to curtail China’s economic aggression, but hurt American workers,” O’Rourke said his post. 

The candidate noted the effect the tariffs have had on groups including farmers. {mosads}

“President Trump’s tantrums and tweets destroyed their markets overnight,” he said in the post. 

An escalating trade war with China has been the hallmark of Trump’s trade policy.

Earlier this month, Trump announced a 15 percent tariff on $300 billion in Chinese products after China announced a tariff on $75 billion in U.S. goods.

O’Rourke noted in his post that he would hold China accountable for its “anti-competitive behavior” if the behavior does not change, but through different methods than Trump. 

The Democrat said he would take action through both the World Trade Organization and unilateral actions that could include “delisting Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges when they refuse to make their audit work-papers available for inspection.”

The candidate also wrote in the post that as president he would prioritize labor rights and environmental protection through his trade policies.

One way O’Rourke said he would do this is through the creation of a Trade Enforcement Commission that would identify labor and environmental standards violations. 

O’Rourke is among 20 people running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and among the 10 who will appear in the next Democratic debate.