Trump reportedly plans to call for China intellectual property trade probe on Monday

Carlos Barria | Reuters

President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping chat as they walk along the front patio of the Mar-a-Lago estate after a bilateral meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 7, 2017.

President Donald Trump will call on Monday for his chief trade adviser to investigate China’s intellectual property practices, Politico reported, citing an unnamed administration official.

Trump had been expected to call for a so-called Section 301 investigation under the 1974 Trade Act earlier this month, but action had been postponed as the White House pressed for China’s
cooperation in reining in North Korea’s nuclear program.

Politico said it was not clear how much detail Trump would provide in his announcement, but that administration officials expected U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to open a
section 301 probe.