Will using tariffs against China give us leverage in negotiations?

I personally believe in fair trade. I would like it to be as free as possible. It is best for consumers that way. However, China has historically used protectionist policies which hurt us at their benefit. I think it is best to threaten to use and potentially use high tariffs on Chinese goods until they agree to practice freer trade with the US. Using free trade with them give us no leverage with which to negotiate better trade deals. 

Do you guys believe that we should use tariffs to make China make a better trade deal with us, or do you believe there is a better way to accomplish that goal?

Should the USA not retaliate against Chinese tarrifs?

USA businesses currently get no legal protections in China while China gets all the benefits of legal protection when they do business with USA.

Yeah, we definitely need to stop them from stealing our intellectual property. That is a big thing. We do all of the research, they reverse engineer it, and they get to sell it back us and undercut on prices. 

that should have happened long long ago rather than letting production, manufacturing etc die in our own borders.

Screw China, we should stop all  trade with those commie bastards.

No doubt it should have. There are some people who think tariffs will just escalate things, but I would much rather that than have them continue to gut our domestic industries.

It might have been possible at one point, but given how incredibly inconsistent and even haphazardly the trade tariffs have been implemented and redacted over the past few years, China may not feel particularly intimidated by the tariffs at all since we appear to not even have an idea ourselves of what the goal is with them, how to apply them, etc. 

Its like if a negotiator is talking to a gunman who has taken hostages and the gunman keeps changing his demands back and forth between getting an escape car, a hot pocket, a little more time to think of something, or ask that the Mayor of San Francisco conduct a press conference with his pants off..... The negotiator isn't going to know what the hell the gunman really wants, and will advise the police to stay steady and not do anything for now until future developments. 

In this case the gunman is the US and the negotiator is China. They have no idea what we want to get with the trade tariffs, because of how much we don't even know what our goal is ourselves and keep changing things around, so they'll probably just wait and see for us to get our act together, rather then be quick to offer any concessions to resolve things. 

Madman theory might work with weak nations, but China isn't weak.

I will say, I do think they will try to stall to see what happens in our next election. If Trump wins, the tariffs will likely continue (as he seems to be the only one advocating for them) and if he loses, they have no worries. They do know what we want. They aren't stupid. We want them to take their tariffs off our goods and allow us to export there.

Xin Ping thinks they can hang on a few years manipulating Chinese currency to keep their market share, but businesses are already pulling out and China is already losing market share. If China does nothing, those businesses are going to find other suppliers and develop new supply chains.

Well you did find others to keep your company.

Sorry I can't give my comment on this topic. Mix of time constraints and no real incentive. 

"Screw China, we should stop all trade with those commie bastards".

For such a committed  Christian. This comment doesn't appear to include much Christian tolerance.

What on Earth would Jesus have thought?

LOL.

I have, fortunately. :)

China is losing its market share? 

All I have heard is them gaining infrastructure around the world with predatory loans to 3rd world nations.

I don't think it is necessary to trade with a country that persecutes the church. As well as anyone who follows a religion that isn't state worship, as is typical of communist states.

I love the Chinese people. I don't like their government.

"commie bastards"

Love thy neighbor lol. 

My hatred is toward a satanic ideology, not toward the people who are held captive too it. 

Justifying your hatred to people.

Love thy neighbor lol.

Nonsense

"Nonsense"

Can't make a point:

Just say one word and hope that is enough.

It isn't. 

Jesus bro, China is barely even communist anymore.

Of course we should increase tariffs on China, seeing China getting richer, and also seeing the trade deficit increase isn't normal, I'm by no means a huge fan of Trump but I can't disagree with him here, 400 billion dollars lost annually is nothing to sneeze at. Obviously this deficit will still exist after these tariffs but can we at least control the damage.

My question now would be, how much of an impact are the tariffs having/will have, hopefully a lot, I don't want China gaining too much influence.

There are no communist countries, they are all socialist countries on their way toward communism! 

Well, in theory. Maybe one day the robots will help us to experience what state enforced anarchy looks like.

A true Christian wouldn't exhibit hatred.

Ever heard the phrase "Hate the sin, not the sinner"? He hasn't said he hates any Chinese, just their governmental policies. 

Unless of course you  are trying to paint Christianity in a negative light, then it is very Christian.

But you aren't attacking Christianity, you are attacking me. You are making thiis argument out of convenience not because you believe  in it.

Why wouldn't I hate the false religion of communism, especially when the eradication of my church is built into its agenda?

So I say screw China, we should stop giving their government money. Stop trading with them all  together. Forget about making a deal with them.

Well, you are the ardent Christian and yet, the one also espousing hatred towards your fellow humans.

If the cap fits as they say.

"Commie bastards" are the sinners

Commie governmental policies is the sin.

I know exactly what he's saying.

I don't feel any cognitive dissonance for hating the Chinese government, which has functionally made my religion illegal.

Hatred and your religion?

Such is conditioned self righteousness and insular arrogance I suppose.