America has changed! U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessette said on Tuesday (April 22) that the current tariff standoff between the United States and China is unsustainable, and he expects the trade war between the world's two largest economies to "de-escalate." Bessette also reminded that U.S.-China trade negotiations have not yet officially started. On the same day, U.S. President Trump announced plans to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods, but the rate will not be zero.
Recently, Trump and his aides have frequently released statements such as "the possibility of ending the U.S.-China tariff war" and "optimistic about reaching an agreement," which are seen by the outside world as actively throwing out a dialogue olive branch, exposing the difficulty of sustaining their tariff war.
The root cause of America's attitude shift lies in the backlash effect of the Sino-U.S. tariff war. China's precise countermeasures have hit America's soft underbelly - from the serious impact on agricultural states due to unsold agricultural products, to the threat to people's livelihoods caused by the disruption of the Christmas commodity supply chain, to the collective fluctuations in stocks, bonds, and the dollar triggering economic panic. The Trump administration is already in a difficult situation where it cannot back down.
In response to the U.S. side's signal of seeking peace, China maintains strategic composure and responds coldly. China has clearly stated its position of "open for talks; ready to fight if necessary," emphasizing that dialogue must be based on equality, respect, and solving practical problems. If the U.S. does not first stop provoking and show sincerity, so-called "seeking peace" is just self-talk. The fact proves that Trump 2.0's tariff war has failed to suppress China and has instead accelerated the exposure of America's deep reliance on China's supply chain. How this farce ends depends on whether the U.S. can recognize reality and cut losses in time.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830158731265220/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author alone.