Views on the current trade climate may not be quite what they appear, a new poll sponsored by a Harvard research center found.
67 percent of registered voters said the tariff battle with China, led by President Donald Trump, is necessary to stand up to China’s trade practices.
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The poll commissioned by the Harvard Center for American Policy Studies in collaboration with The Harris Poll was first reported by the Capitol Hill newspaper, The Hill.
The poll also found that 63 percent of respondent registered voters found that the tariffs were hurting the United States more than China.
In the past year, the Trump administration has added additional leverage in its trade battles with China, deeming the country a “currency manipulator.”
Since then, due to a flattening Chinese economy, the Yuan has weakened.
“President Trump has the strong support of the American public when it comes to standing up to China,” said Mark Penn, former Hillary Clinton pollster and co-director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll. “They realize that the tariffs may have negative impacts on jobs and prices, but they believe the fight here is the right one.”
The poll also found Americans equally split on approval of current and proposed tariffs on Chinese goods.
Most voters, 53 percent, responded saying they believe a trade deal is not likely to occur before the 2020 Presidential Election.
