Page 2 - aruba-today-20190506

A2 UP FRONT
Monday 6 May 2019
U.S.-China economic rela- economy, saying the U.S.-
tionship to grow ever more China standoff is reducing
lopsided. As evidence, he world trade and creating
pointed to America's vast uncertainty for companies
U.S. trade deficit with Chi- trying to decide where to
na — $379 billion last year, buy supplies, build facto-
by far the biggest with any ries, and make investments.
country in the world. Trump has portrayed his tar-
Once he took office, iffs as a moneymaker for the
Trump's relationship with his United States and a benefit
Chinese counterpart, Xi Jin- to the U.S. economy.
ping, seemed to get off to But a March study by econ-
a good start. The two men omists from the Federal
shared chocolate cake Reserve Bank of New York,
and amiable conversation Columbia University, and
at Trump's resort in Mar-a- Princeton University found
Lago, Florida, in April 2017. that the burden of Trump's
A few weeks later, China tariffs — including taxes on
agreed to open its market steel, aluminum, solar pan-
U.S. beef, cooked chicken, els, and Chinese imports
and natural gas in what — falls entirely on U.S. con-
Commerce Secretary Wil- sumers and businesses who
bur Ross called a "hercule- buy imported products. By
In this Jan. 31, 2019, file photo President Donald Trump, left, meets with Chinese Vice Premier Liu an accomplishment." the end of last year, the
He, far right, at the White House in Washington. The romance faded. In study found, they were
Associated Press March 2018, the Office of paying $3 billion a month in
the U.S. Trade Representa- higher taxes and absorbing
CHINESE TARRIFS Secretary Steven Mnuchin pressure tactics to work. tive issued a report accus- $1.4 billion a month in lost
Continued from Front seemed to temper expec- "The president treats this ing China of using preda- efficiency.
The U.S. charges that Chi- tations, suggesting that like we're haggling over the tory tactics to strengthen its Nonetheless, the over-
na is resorting to preda- Washington was willing to price of a used car," Levy tech companies. all U.S. economy has re-
tory tactics — including "move on" if it can't get the said. Last July, the Trump admin- mained healthy. On Friday,
cybertheft and forcing for- deal it wants. Trump has made a prior- istration gradually began the government reported
eign companies to hand A substantive deal would ity of shaking up American slapping import taxes on that the U.S. unemploy-
over technology — in a require China to rethink the trade policy. Chinese goods to pressure ment rate had fallen to the
drive to establish Chinese way it pursues its economic As a candidate for the Beijing into changing its lowest level in half a cen-
companies as world lead- ambitions, abandoning or presidency, Trump raged policies. It now has imposed tury.
ers in advanced industries scaling back subsidies to repeatedly about alleged 10% tariffs on $200 billion in The prospect of higher tar-
such as robotics and elec- its companies, easing up Chinese perfidy — so much Chinese imports and 25% iffs and heightened ten-
tric vehicles. on the pressure for foreign so that a video mashup of tariffs on another $50 bil- sions could alarm investors
The administration has re- companies to share trade him spitting out the word lion. The Chinese have re- when markets open Mon-
peatedly suggested that secrets, and giving them "China" went viral and col- taliated by targeting $110 day. "When the president
the negotiators are mak- more access to the Chi- lected more than 15 million billion in U.S. imports. puts his foot down, it makes
ing progress. A month ago, nese market. views on Youtube.com. The fight between the the market go down," Chris
Trump said that the two Philip Levy, senior fellow at Trump charged that previ- world's two biggest econo- Rupkey, chief financial
countries were "rounding the Chicago Council on ous administrations, gullible mies is raising worries about economist at MUFG Union
the turn" and predicted Global Affairs and a White and weak, had let China global economic growth. Bank, wrote in a research
that "something monumen- House economist under get away with abusive The International Monetary note Sunday. "Tariff man is
tal" would be achieved in President George W. Bush, trade practices, accept- Fund, the World Bank, and back just in time to make
the next few weeks. said the talks are too com- ing empty promises from others have downgraded the stock market dive, dive,
But last week, Treasury plicated for Trump's high- Beijing and allowing the their forecasts for the world dive."q

Health officials: Arizona sees surge of hepatitis A cases

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona is licit drugs. disease this year, public In Phoenix, health providers Hepatitis A has been a
seeing a surge in hepatitis The homeless are more health officials say many of are working to vaccinate recommended childhood
A cases, mostly in the Tuc- vulnerable to hepatitis A, those infected had to be those at risk, said Dr. Rebec- vaccine since the mid-
son area but also in metro which easily spreads when hospitalized. ca Sunenshine, medical di- 1990s. Maricopa County
Phoenix, health officials people do not have ac- Hepatitis A causes the liver rector for disease control at requires the vaccination for
say. cess to good hygiene and to swell, resulting in jaun- the Maricopa County De- preschool children, but not
The outbreak of the viral do not wash their hands af- dice, fatigue, stomach partment of Public Health. for those in grades K-12.
disease that affects the ter using the restroom. The pain, nausea and diarrhea. She said more than 90 per- Along with getting vacci-
liver began in November disease can also spread People can be contagious cent of the cases in the nated, public health offi-
and cases have continued through contaminated for two weeks before and county have required hos- cials suggest strategies that
to rise since then despite food and water. for one week after symp- pitalization, she said. include handwashing with
efforts to step up vaccina- So far in 2019, Arizona has toms appear. A blood test In Maricopa County, hepa- soap and water after go-
tions. seen 212 cases, higher than is the most common way to titis A has been detected ing to the bathroom and
The Arizona Republic re- any yearly statewide total confirm someone has it. among people who have before eating or prepar-
ports the outbreak could in more than a decade, The majority of Arizona's recently been in jail, along ing food; avoiding sex with
take months to rein in. according to state statis- hepatitis A cases have with the homeless and anyone who has hepatitis
Many cases have been re- tics. Arizona health officials been concentrated in the those who misuse drugs, A; and not sharing towels,
ported among homeless said they expect the num- Tucson area, said Pima Sunenshine said. toothbrushes, eating uten-
people, individuals with ber to rise. County Health Depart- The vaccine consists of sils, food, drinks, smokes or
precarious housing situa- Although there have been ment's Deputy Director two doses administered six drug paraphernalia with
tions and those who use il- no Arizona deaths from the Paula Mandel. months apart. other people.q