The US-China trade war just got a lot worse. And there's no quick fix for relations
BEIJING - The Trump administration's abrupt Chinese tariff hike Friday raises strong doubts on whether the world's two largest economies can reach a deal to quell their escalating trade war in the coming weeks. Yet even if a deal is agreed to, the larger message is that U.S.-China relations have changed fundamentally, and there is likely to be no going back.
Although their business relations remain deeply entwined, the White House and China increasingly view themselves as aggressive rivals jostling for global influence and geopolitical power.
The trade war launched by President Donald Trump is just one symptom of this. Military friction in the South China Sea, a string of espionage scandals, China's rising military strength and the Trump administration's battle against China tech giant Huawei are all signs of an ominous chill in relations.
Although a deal seemed close last week, Trump on Sunday accused China of breaking agreements that had been made over months of negotiations and
