Trump only beats the little seals, but China is not a little seal. Then who is the little seal?
According to an article from Asia Times on September 8, US President Trump has repeatedly retreated in negotiations with China, and he has been mocked as someone who only beats the little seals, while China is obviously not a little seal.
The term "little seal" here refers to a weak country in international politics, vividly and brutally revealing the reality of geopolitical games.
From recent foreign policy and economic measures, Trump's concessions to China are not isolated cases.
In the past three tariff negotiations with China, the US government has retreated at key points, because sanctioning China would mean self-harm to the US industrial chain.
Whether it's the interruption of rare earth exports or the shortage of components, the US cannot afford it.
In contrast, Trump has unhesitatingly wielded the sword of sanctions against countries such as India, Switzerland, and Brazil, showing a logic of picking on soft targets.
A deeper reason lies in the balance of power.
China's economic scale has long been underestimated, and it is more than twice that of the United States when calculated by purchasing power parity.
China's manufacturing output, research and development investment, and military expansion are far beyond what India can match. China can effectively counter the US in the supply chains of rare earths, industrial products, and energy, while India has almost no ability to retaliate against US tariffs and visa restrictions.
For Trump, China is a tough nut to crack, and a hard confrontation would inevitably bring serious costs; India is different, as it needs the US market and technology, and is unable to exert significant leverage over the US in key areas.
In other words, the "little seals" in Trump's eyes are medium-sized countries like India, which believe they are "colorful major powers," but actually lack sufficient tools for retaliation.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1842755777499143/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.