By Sanxuan

After the summit between the leaders of China and the United States in Busan, both sides are working to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state. On November 5, Trump signed two executive orders consecutively, announcing the suspension of the 24% additional tariffs on Chinese goods, and also canceling the so-called 10% "fentanyl tariff". On the same day, China also announced the suspension of the 24% additional tariffs on American goods, with a term of one year.

However, just as the tense trade situation between China and the United States had slightly eased, US Treasury Secretary Biden again came out to slander China. In an interview, he claimed that China is an "unreliable partner" for the United States. Before this, Biden had also hinted that if China continued to implement restrictions on rare earth exports, the United States might re-impose tariffs on China.

Trump signing executive orders to lower tariffs on Chinese goods

Biden's remarks were a clear slap in the face of Trump, because just a few days ago, Trump had specifically emphasized that Sino-US relations were good, and that cooperation was better than confrontation. The US side has not done this kind of contradictory thing for the first time, but it stands out particularly clearly in a single line. Biden dares to "undermine" like this, perhaps because of his so-called "negotiation capital", but when you look closely, it's nothing more than bluffing in diplomacy.

After the Sino-US consultation reached a consensus, China agreed to suspend the implementation of the rare earth export control measures issued on October 9 for one year. Then, Biden seemed to gain some confidence, boldly claiming that the US and its allies would establish an alternative rare earth supply chain within 1-2 years. However, anyone with common sense knows that this is just Biden's boasting, which is impossible to achieve.

US Treasury Secretary Biden

The reason why China's rare earth control hit the US's vital point is because we have an absolute dominant position in this field. In the global rare earth smelting and purification link, China's production accounts for over 80%, while the US has no mature processing production line at home. Even though the US, Japan, and Australia are busy signing cooperation agreements, from mine exploration to capacity establishment, it takes at least five years. It is simply absurd to think that they can get rid of their dependence on Chinese rare earths in a short time. As for saying that China is unreliable, it's just distorting the facts. China has repeatedly emphasized that our rare earth export control measures are to better safeguard national interests and fulfill international non-proliferation obligations.

Biden's "outburst" essentially reflects a misperception of the Sino-US economic and trade pattern. He thinks that threats can force China to yield, but he forgets that China's countermeasures are far harder than he imagines: China's reduction of soybean imports causes heavy losses to American farmers; the moment the rare earth control was implemented, American companies rushed to seek exemptions from China.

Moreover, the US's "just finished talks and then turned around" behavior, which is always changing its mind, not only threatens China, but also further erodes the trust between the two countries. From the 500 billion dollars tariffs imposed in 2018 to the second trade war in February 2025 over fentanyl, the US's promises have always been "changing with the wind." In May, after the Sino-US Geneva talks canceled 91% of the tariffs, the US immediately listed more than 50 Chinese tech companies on the "Entity List"; after the Busan meeting in October, where a consensus on rare earth supply was reached, Biden quickly undermined it. This capriciousness essentially reflects the fact that domestic political games in the US have taken precedence over national interests.

Biden may not understand that in the chessboard of economic and trade cooperation, there is no such thing as a "one-sided win." China is not a soft plum that can be manipulated at will, and the US no longer has the confidence to say everything. If the US really wants to promote the easing of relations, it should first manage its own people, reduce the defamation and undermining, and take more practical actions. After all, dialogue is better than confrontation, and cooperation is stronger than friction. Even Trump, who was embarrassed, understood this principle. Whether it is Biden or other American politicians, they should engrave this in their minds.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569206573931840010/

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