The future of U.S.-China trade ties (David Dollar, Brookings)

China in the past few decades has emerged as the world’s largest exporter and the United States’ second largest trading partner after Canada. Despite being a relatively poor developing country, China has built up the largest trade surpluses in human history, creating economic problems for the United States. Trade with China has led to the loss of American manufacturing jobs, reduced real wages for semi-skilled workers, and devastated some communities dependent on low-end manufacturing jobs. These negative effects have naturally given rise to protectionist sentiments in the U.S. presidential campaign and given trade in general a bad name.

https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-future-of-u-s-china-trade-ties/