How a Beijing think tank rated senior White House advisers' views on China

The think tank's researchers put forward the following conclusions:

• A hardline attitude is not universal among top White House officials.
• Three Cabinet positions in particular tend to have officials who hold friendlier views, in the report's estimation — the treasury, agriculture and transportation secretaries (currently held by Steve Mnuchin, Sonny Perdue and Elaine Chao, respectively).
• The trade war is primarily being pushed by officials in charge of strategy and national security, rather than those who are responsible for trade.

Go deeper: How a Chinese think tank rates all 50 U.S. governors