The Trump administration is pointing the finger at more than 40 countries it says have helped China dodge tens of billions of dollars in tariffs.
“It’s big money, but there’s also a very human cost here,” Peter Navarro, senior counsel for trade and manufacturing, told reporters Thursday. “A Chinese motor that clears customs as Mexican is a motor not built in Detroit, Grand Rapids, or Indianapolis.”
He added that Customs and Border Protection has launched an AI “detective border” to crack down on rerouted exports, which would work in tandem with a recent executive order and ongoing trade negotiations.
Navarro declined to answer a question on whether Trump would raise the issue with Chinese leader Xi Jinping when the latter heads to Washington in six weeks.
Talks over the countries’ proposed board of investment have appeared to stall ahead of the visit.