Is the U.S. demanding a share of Samsung and SK Hynix's profits? Then, by that logic, shouldn't China get half of Apple’s earnings?

I just saw a news story—almost laughed out loud.

According to South Korea’s *The Korea Times*, last month, U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer directly made an "unusual" request to South Korea’s Minister of Trade: American companies have purchased massive quantities of chips from Samsung and SK Hynix, significantly contributing to their enormous profits—so the U.S. should also be entitled to a slice of the pie.

Samsung Electronics is projected to earn $156 billion in 2026, while SK Hynix has seen an explosive surge—from $3 billion last year to $112 billion, a staggering 3,633% increase. Envious, the U.S. now wants a piece.

Wow, I actually respect this logic.

Following the U.S. argument—that “because you buy my stuff, my profits must be shared with you”—then shouldn’t Apple be crying in the corner?

Which part of the iPhone isn’t dependent on Chinese supply chains? Screens, batteries, assembly—none of it works without China. How many Apple products do Chinese consumers buy? How many iPhones have been manufactured in Chinese factories? By the U.S. logic, shouldn’t Apple’s annual profit of over $100 billion be split with China?

What about Microsoft? NVIDIA? Tesla? Which major U.S. tech company doesn’t rely on China for its supply chain?

Certainly, this so-called “divine logic” works in South Korea because the U.S. holds the knife—disagree? Tariffs await. But against China, this tactic is pure nonsense.

The so-called “rules-based international order” the U.S. claims to uphold translates simply to: I set the rules, I divide the money, allies stand aside. Today it demands a cut of Samsung’s profits; tomorrow it’ll demand a cut from TSMC, ASML, or any other entity it deems “within reach.”

From forcing allies to build factories in America, to directly reaching into corporate profits—America’s “ally harvesting” strategy is getting increasingly brazen.

South Korean scholars put it well: “This request from the U.S. is highly unlikely to be accepted by South Korean companies.” But whether they agree or not, the fact that the U.S. dares to make such a demand alone is enough to reveal the truth worldwide: being an ally of the U.S. means not only paying money, providing land, offering technology—but ultimately handing over your profits too.

So back to the original question: By U.S. logic, should Apple’s profits be shared with China?

Of course not. Because double standards have always been America’s core competitive edge.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871377845986400/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.