A majority of registered voters agree China has taken advantage of the U.S. on trade, a recent survey from Harvard-Harris found.
According to the survey, 59 percent across the board believe China has taken advantage of the U.S. on trade. There is a consensus among Republicans and independents, as 72 percent and 57 percent, respectively, hold this view. However, less than a majority of Democrats, 46 percent, believe China has taken advantage of the U.S. on trade.
WATCH — President Trump: Joe Biden Let China “Fleece Us” on Trade:
More broadly speaking, when asked if the U.S. has been taken advantage of by other countries when it comes to trade, 58 percent agree the U.S. has been taken advantage of. Only 42 percent believe trade has been on fair terms.
Most Democrats, however, 61 percent, believe trade has been on “fair terms,” but 77 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of independents disagree.
The survey also found a plurality of voters, 48 percent, believe the Trump tariff policy is the right idea but “requires more patience to work.”
The survey was taken April 9-10 among 2,286 registered voters. It has a margin of error of +/- 1.9 percent. It follows President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement, where he announced reciprocal tariffs as part of his greater effort to fix unfair trade practices.
“Reciprocal tariffs, again, reciprocal, back and forth, back and forth, and we would, I call this kind reciprocal. This is not full reciprocal. This is kind reciprocal,” Trump said during the Rose Garden announcement on April 2.
“We charge them, my answer is very simple, if they complain, if you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America, because there is no tariff if you build your plant, your product in America,” Trump explained.
WATCH — Trump Announces Reciprocal Tariffs on All Countries: “This Is Liberation Day”:
Trump made waves days later after doubling down on China after it retaliated against the U.S.
“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately,” Trump announced on Truth Social on April 9.
“At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump continued before rewarding countries that did not retaliate against the U.S. but instead reached out to negotiate. As a result, he instituted a 90-day pause with a “substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period,” effective “immediately.”
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