President-elect Donald Trump says he will push China hard on trade — and many are wondering how Beijing will push back.
A number of Beijing watchers say leaders there are already brainstorming ways to reply if Trump does in fact push forward with trade agreements that make life harder for Chinese companies that export into the United States.
"China will try to have a disproportionate response. If the U.S. action is 'X,' China's reaction will be '2X,'" said James Keith, who leads the Asia practice of geopolitical consulting firm McLarty Associates and is the former deputy assistant Secretary of State for China.