To counter China, US trade rep seeks closer ties to allies

By PAUL WISEMAN and JOSH BOAK
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is pressing its case for a new approach to global trade. It’s arguing that America’s traditional reliance on promoting free trade pacts failed to anticipate China’s brass-knuckled brand of capitalism and the possibility that a major power like Russia would go to war against one of its trading partners. In a speech at American University, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai calls for a strategy of what’s known as “friend-shoring’’ — building up supply chains among allied countries and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals such as China.