Why US ‘tariff extortion’ against China is failing
Print Edition
The United States government has taken a dangerous step in recent days with its trade policy, using the rhetoric of “reciprocity” to impose a new wave of tariffs on major global trading partners, particularly China.
In the face of escalating “tariff extortion,” China has responded with necessary countermeasures to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
By imposing these “reciprocal tariffs,” the US has cast aside World Trade Organization rules, undermined the legitimate rights and interests of WTO members, damaged the rules-based multilateral trading system, and injected further instability into an already fragile global economic order. At its core, this strategy embraces unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying.
Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, warned that the ripple effects of such policies could endanger global economic stability.
By discriminating among trading partners and unilaterally hiking duties beyond agreed limits, the US has violated WTO rules, said Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
China has made its position unequivocal: “We do not provoke trouble, nor are we intimidated by it. Applying pressure and threats is not the right way to deal with China.”
China is fully confident, capable and resilient to deal with this tariff war.
Over recent years, China has decreased its reliance on exports to the US, diversified trade ties with emerging economies, and implemented more flexible policies to strengthen its ability to withstand external disruptions.
China’s economic fundamentals remain robust. In 2024, its GDP reached 134.9 trillion yuan (US$18.42 trillion), with a growth rate of 5 percent — a performance that stands out among major global economies.
China’s comprehensive industrial capacity — unique in its inclusion of all manufacturing categories recognized by the United Nations — provides critical ballast against trade coercion.
China’s enormous domestic market of over 1.4 billion people offers strategic depth in weathering external disruptions. Meanwhile, China is committed to a high-level opening-up and continues to cultivate a dense web of mutually beneficial trade partnerships.
With its institutional advantages, economic resilience and strategic wisdom, China has demonstrated to the world its determination to uphold justice and its commitment to resist bullying. The US attempt to strong-arm China is like punching a steel wall — it won’t make a dent.
Washington’s turn toward economic unilateralism threatens bilateral ties and the painstakingly built global trade architecture after World War II.
The world must unite against economic bullying. To borrow an old Chinese proverb, “You do not placate a tiger by feeding it your own flesh.”
Openness, inclusivity and mutual benefit are the only paths forward. China is steadfast in defending these principles and ensuring its development contributes to global stability and growth.
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