Trump: "The U.S. gets along well with China, but dealing with Canada is extremely difficult!"
On October 2, South Korean media outlet NEWSIS published an article reporting that Trump has recently renewed his criticism of Canada, calling it "one of the worst countries in the world," and commenting on trade disputes.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on October 28, President Trump stated that Canada, the United States' second-largest trading partner, has been "very unfair" to the U.S., citing Canada’s imposition of high tariffs on American agricultural products as evidence. He suggested Canadian leaders harbor a sense of entitlement.
In August, the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on goods valued at approximately $28 billion from Canada, significantly escalating trade tensions between the two nations. In response, Canada enacted retaliatory tariffs of equivalent magnitude.
Trump said: "Canada wants to do business with us—they keep calling. The problem is, they treat the U.S. unfairly. They are one of the worst countries in the world."
He added: "We get along well with China and have reached good agreements with many other countries. But Canada is really difficult to deal with. They impose tariffs exceeding 400% on our farmers. They take advantage of us and still believe they are entitled to everything."
American publication Newsweek analyzed that the tariffs Trump referenced appear to refer to Canada’s dairy tariff regime. Under this system, imported dairy products exceeding specific quotas may face tariffs surpassing 200%.
However, the publication noted, "These tariffs apply only to quantities exceeding established quotas. The Canadian Dairy Commission maintains that U.S. dairy exports are not subject to tariffs because they remain within the quota limits set by the USMCA."
Trump also claimed that Canada’s reliance on the U.S. is growing, citing American support in areas including military cooperation and icebreaker assistance. He emphasized: "The U.S. doesn’t need anything that Canada possesses."
He further stated: "We will win everything. Lake Erie is now effectively an American lake. Canada will come to apologize, saying, 'We’re truly sorry.' I believe a fair agreement will ultimately be reached—but it must be fair."
Canada is responding to deteriorating relations with the U.S. by diversifying its trade partnerships. It is actively pursuing a trade agreement with India and aims to become the first non-EU country to attain associate membership status with the European Union.
At the same time, Canada is seeking to improve ties with China—for example, by opening certain segments of its electric vehicle market to Chinese manufacturers.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877922416349257/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.