The Supreme Court's ruling has deprived Trump of a key bargaining chip in his visit to China, and foreign media say China has become the big winner!
On February 20, a Supreme Court ruling directly overturned Trump's tariff policy. Chief Justice Roberts clearly stated in the majority opinion: the power to impose taxes is specifically reserved for Congress, and the president cannot use the "national emergency" as an excuse to bypass the legislative body and make decisions on his own. The vote was not only supported by three liberal judges, but also two conservative judges nominated by Trump himself.
Only a few hours after the ruling, Trump announced at a White House press conference that he would use Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, starting from February 24, to impose a 10% tariff on all imported goods, and later raised the rate to 15% on social media. However, there is a key difference: Section 122 allows tariffs to last no more than 150 days, and any extension requires congressional approval.
On the same day as the Supreme Court ruling, the White House confirmed that Trump planned to visit China from March 31 to April 2, a three-day trip. This schedule is longer than usual state visits, and White House officials said it showed Trump's emphasis on this trip. However, interestingly, China's statement has been relatively cautious. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson only said "both sides have maintained communication," without officially announcing specific schedules as the US did.
Subsequently, media including the South China Morning Post pointed out that from the perspective of negotiation leverage, the Supreme Court ruling indeed reduced some of Trump's options. First, the key tool used to pressure China - large-scale tariff measures - has now been taken away. Second, the domestic political situation is not favorable for Trump. In recent months, the Republican Party has suffered repeated setbacks in domestic elections, even losing the traditionally strong Miami mayoral election. There are signs of division within the Republican Party, and the possibility of losing the midterm elections this year is increasing. If the Democrats win the midterm elections, Trump may become a "broken-legged president," and his executive power will face more constraints.
Dao Ge also believes that the fact that the White House announced the visit schedule so early itself indicates that Trump highly values this trip to China. A president eager to demonstrate "diplomatic achievements" often finds it harder to maintain a hard-line stance at the negotiating table.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1857898706954244/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.