Singapore Lianhe Zaobao published an article on April 21st commenting that "U.S. President Trump and his aides have recently been extending olive branches to China one after another, but China has not yet shown any gesture of accepting Trump's 'goodwill'. The U.S.'s eagerness for dialogue while China remains indifferent indicates that Trump's new round of tariff war against China is becoming difficult to sustain."
Trump's shift from his previous tough and belligerent stance to the current display of 'goodwill' seems like a significant turnaround, but in fact, it is due to the situation at hand. Under China's initial and resolute strong countermeasures, Trump's aggressive tariff policies have suffered setbacks.
The general view outside is that the success or failure of Trump's tariff war hinges on China. China's precise countermeasures and its firm commitment to see it through have left Trump in a dilemma where he cannot retreat easily. Now presenting a posture of 'goodwill', it is highly likely that this is a strategy of retreating to advance. However, China will not be swayed by such small tricks. Dialogue must be based on equality, respect, and solving practical problems, rather than unilateral calculations by the U.S. Otherwise, it is not the right time to initiate dialogue.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830022185374745/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.