The US has initiated an investigation into China's theft of US intellectual property (IP) using Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. What that boils down to is that the US just fired the first shot in a trade war with China. "On Monday, President Trump instructed me to look into Chinese laws, policies, and practices which may be harming American intellectual property rights, innovation, or technology development," said ambassador Robert Lighthizer in a statement on the US Trade Representative website. "After consulting with stakeholders and other government agencies, I have determined that these critical issues ... (full story)