Donald Trump has set in motion a process likely to lead to a US trade investigation of China’s intellectual property policies and potentially new tariffs on Chinese imports, vowing that “this is just the beginning” of a crackdown on unfair trade practices around the world. 

“This is what I promised to do as a candidate for this office and this is what I am doing right now as president,” Mr Trump said as he signed a presidential memorandum on Monday. “We will defend our workers. And we will protect the innovations, creations and inventions that power our magnificent country.” 

The president, who built his campaign last year around an “America First” protectionist economic message, and his team are seeking to accelerate a trade agenda that so far has made many threats but taken little concrete action. “It’s a very big move,” Mr Trump declared. “And this is just the beginning. I want to tell you that. This is just the beginning.”