In the days before President Donald Trump suddenly paused most of the punishing tariffs on foreign countries he had revealed in early April, more than a dozen congressional lawmakers were tied to thousands of dollars’ worth of stock transactions,

China was still closed and outside of the trading system. The largest developing country with manufacturing exports was Taiwan. When China joined the United Nations in October 1971, Taiwan was no longer listed in the reports on world trade in manufacturers.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States is now in trade negotiations with "around 15 countries," including Japan and South Korea, after announcing a new trade agreement with China earlier that same day.