New Trump orders: Do some checking, maybe our partners cheat on us...
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One will commission a 90-day study of the U.S.' trade deficits with some of its largest trading partners to identify potential trade abuses and cheating.
The study will serve as ammunition to a president intent on reevaluating free trade agreements and bolstering US manufacturing.
The second directive will order stricter and more effective enforcement of U.S. anti-dumping laws to prevent foreign manufacturers from undercutting U.S. companies by selling goods at an unfair price.
The moves come a week before Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose country Trump has argued contributes to the US trade deficit through unfair trading practices.
Top Trump administration officials say there was no connection between the orders and the upcoming meeting. ■