BUFFALO, N.Y. — When it comes to a trade imbalance with China, President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer appear to agree.

"I totally approve of going after China. China has been the worst trading partner we have," Schumer said. "They're rapacious."

But Schumer said he's not convinced Trump's plan to instate a 25 percent tax on all steel imports and a ten percent tax on aluminum imports is the correct approach.

"Whether this actual proposal by the president appropriately targets China or instead targets other countries where we have trade surpluses such as, I don't know if we can see it from here, but Canada is the question I want to see and you have to wait for the details to determine that," he said.

Since announcing the plan last week, the administration has found itself on the defensive both from Republican lawmakers who said it punishes American consumers and lets China off the hook, as well as from trade allies like the European Union and Canada.

"As soon as you exempt one country then you have to exempt another country and so it's a slippery slope," Peter Navarro, White House National Trade Council director, said.

While the tariff could have a positive impact on the U.S. steel and aluminum industries, whose prices are currently being undercut by China, experts are warning it could have broad implications for other industries that utilize the products. Schumer, who was in Buffalo on Monday, said he'd like to know more about what that means for businesses in Western New York.

"I'd like to know how this affects the Tonawanda auto plant. I'd like to know how it affects our breweries. I'd like to know how it affects our steel companies, you know we have a few steel companies still here," he said.

The senator, however, did not dismiss the plan either. He said he needs more specifics before he can make a determination.

"Doing something against China, which frankly neither the Bush or Obama administration did enough, I agree. Is this the right thing? We'll have to wait and see the details to see if it works," Schumer said.

Schumer said he's less concerned about retaliation from China or a deterioration of the two countries' relationships when it comes to other issues. He said China has far more to lose.

"China doesn't give us ice in the winter," Schumer said. "They're not even helping us on North Korea. It is time we got tough with China. They're stealing our family jewels, our intellectual property, our American know-how, our jobs."