U.S. Launches Auto Trade Battle with China

China's subsidies bad. America's subsidies good! Go America!

President Barack Obama on Monday said the United States was challenging Chinese auto and auto-parts subsidies that threatened American jobs as he campaigned in Ohio, an auto manufacturing state that could be decisive in the November presidential election.

Beijing fired back with a complaint against U.S. duties on many Chinese exports, in the latest sign of trade tension between the world's two largest economies.

The U.S. case filed at the World Trade Organization targets what Washington said were "extensive subsidies" to Chinese auto and auto-parts producers located in designated regions, known as export bases.