Addressing French radio Europe 1’s audience, France’s National Front party (FN) leader Marine Le Pen has suggested that France introduce taxes on German-manufactured goods, thereby referring to Donald Trump’s recently announced economic measures vis-à-vis China.
According to the French politician, the US economic policies should set an example for France, whose external trade deficit with Germany is estimated at over 17 billion euros.
“The US stands on guard of its won national interests, they have a deficit in [their] external trade balance with China of about 350 billion dollars, and Donald Trump is poised to reduce it by 100 billion,” Le Pen remarked. The right-wing politician called on the French government to take similar steps with regard to Germany, citing the EU’s “inability to find appropriate solutions, be it Italy or France,” she stressed.
Separately, she touched upon the European free trade zone, noting that in years to come, it should be replaced with a set of bilateral agreements between countries in question.
“All powerful states should defend their own interests. … [The] future belongs to bilateral deals, as it will enable all countries to avoid unemployment spikes and economic decline,” Le Pen rounded off.
US President Trump recently announced a new round of 25 percent tariffs targeting as much as $50 billion worth of products manufactured in China using “industrially significant technologies.” Earlier in the day, however, Trump, who is essentially delivering on his 2016 campaign promises, emphasized his “great friendship with President Xi of China,” but cited historically unfair trade between the two countries. In a tit-for-tat move, Beijing responded by slapping a similar set of tariffs on US products, with US electric cars, soya and whiskey expected to be hit hardest.