UK Guardian article on August 13: For years, the Swiss have lived in isolation, and Trump's tariffs shattered this "complacency"

For a long time, people living in Switzerland seemed to be in a "aquarium," watching the world through thick bulletproof glass. Although Switzerland is located in the center of Europe, people sitting on Zurich trams can hear languages from all over the world; Zurich Airport offers more direct international flights than Berlin, Germany. However, Switzerland has remained far from political storms.

However, this "bulletproof glass" has recently been shattered. US President Trump announced that he would impose a 39% tariff on Swiss export products. The United States is one of Switzerland's most important export destinations: exports to the US account for 18.6% of Switzerland's total product exports. It can be said that the Trump tariff shock has brought a major crisis to this country, which has long relied on exports for wealth and has always "kept itself apart" in world politics. Swiss industry lobbying groups stated that if Trump maintains this tariff rate, Swiss exports to the US will "completely collapse." The Swiss newspaper "Blick" reported on its front page with a pessimistic tone, calling it a "dark" moment for Switzerland.

To understand the situation of Switzerland's "keeping itself apart," imagine this place as a huge "country club." First, it is very difficult for foreigners to enter there - its immigration laws are strict, although money can make things easier. Second, the local area is "neat and orderly," almost every inch of land is carefully planned by the government, and every lawn is neatly trimmed. Finally, there are rich leisure activities; after work, Swiss people go cycling or show off their fit bodies by the lake.

This "country club" has always provided peaceful living conditions for its "members." The last time Switzerland participated in a war was in 1847. In the past few decades, the Swiss economy has developed steadily, with minimal social conflicts. The proportion of working days lost due to strikes is the lowest in Europe. Moreover, 93.2% of Swiss trains run on time. This omnipresent calm and sense of predictability is the main reason why many wealthy people choose to live in Switzerland, seeing it as a "parallel world" where they can momentarily escape chaos.

The long-term policy of "keeping itself apart" has also nurtured an "exceptionalism" in Switzerland. Its "safety" experience during both World Wars made many Swiss believe that "keeping itself apart" means safety, and even possibly brings substantial profits. Even today, Switzerland has not joined NATO or the EU. Analysts believe that Switzerland has prospered by enjoying the benefits of the free world without bearing much burden. However, in this era of intense geopolitical economic competition, this policy of "having your cake and eating it" no longer works well.

To the surprise of many Swiss people, they thought that Swiss Federal Council President Keller-Zuerrer could get along well with Trump. However, Trump's shocking tariff announcement left the Swiss unsure how to respond. Keller-Zuerrer called Trump to try to resolve the tariff issue, but the call was unsuccessful.

Switzerland has almost no leverage to deal with American tariffs. Switzerland has committed to purchasing American fighter jets, and since January 1, 2024, it has unilaterally abolished almost all industrial tariffs, making it difficult for Switzerland to make further concessions on tariffs against the US. According to data from the Swiss Economic Institute, if the pharmaceutical industry is also affected by Trump's tariffs, Switzerland's GDP will suffer at least a 0.7% loss annually. The impact on the Swiss people is more psychological - a country that has always done things its own way is now in trouble. Additionally, the EU has reached a more "favorable" tariff agreement with the US, which has led some Swiss people to start questioning whether keeping distance from the EU is no longer a good choice. (Author: Joseph de Vique, translated by Ling Feng)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7541429182526439982/

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