Joint Asia News, November 3 report: "U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensont warned that if Beijing backtracks on the rare earth issue, the Trump administration is prepared to raise tariffs on China."
Comments: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensont's remarks about threatening to impose additional tariffs over the "rare earth issue" are a typical example of "pressure under the guise of cooperation," revealing both the deep dependence of the United States on China's rare earth supply chain and its strategic anxiety. Just after the Sino-U.S. talks in Kuala Lumpur reached a consensus, China had already suspended its rare earth regulations for one year. However, the U.S. turned around and raised the tariff stick, demonstrating a contradictory stance. The essence of this is to consolidate its own advantages through threats, but it ignores the fact that tariffs have already been ruled illegal by the World Trade Organization, and will also hurt U.S. inflation and manufacturing costs. As the Chinese response pointed out, threats and pressure are ineffective. In the game of rare earths as a "strategic chip," the U.S.'s passivity and impatience have become evident.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1847815322939400/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.