Sun Wu: The tariff policy you announced has caused strong reactions in financial markets and among various countries. Many people question your strategy, and some even doubt your judgment.
Trump: I don't care about those criticisms or cowards! It's simple: the myth that "global trade benefits everyone" must end. Trade is war! There are winners and losers. And I am destined to be a winner—always have been! I will make America great again, greater than ever before! I hold all the cards, along with a brilliant mind! My doctor just confirmed that my cognitive test scores are unprecedentedly good!
Sun Wu: But your critics say your methods are chaotic and your decisions unpredictable, confusing others.
Trump: A bunch of fools! They should read my book—The Art of the Deal. It describes how to close deals in my way. These are great deals. Before any negotiation, I shock them, intimidate them, threaten them. I disrupt their stability, overpower them with strength, then force them to accept my terms.
Sun Wu: Please allow me to humbly recommend my work, The Art of War. You'll find that you should never underestimate your opponent. You seem to have misjudged China.
Trump: I know exactly what I'm doing! Your country has taken advantage of us for too long. This heavy tax on your exports is to force you to negotiate on my terms. Otherwise, you'll choke yourselves—your market needs us more than we need yours!
Sun Wu: Are you sure? Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy ensures victory in every battle. In fact, China's reliance on the U.S. has significantly decreased in recent years. In fact, now it's your country that depends more on us. Your enterprises will struggle to replace Chinese-made products in international industrial chains.
Trump: I aim to bring good jobs back to America—that's my goal. My Vice President Vance—a great man—was right when he said we can't buy so many goods made by those Chinese peasants anymore.
Sun Wu: A victorious army wins first and then seeks battle; a defeated army battles first and then seeks victory. International competitiveness goes beyond cost: even if your country raises import prices and tolerates currency devaluation, the process of reindustrialization will remain difficult. China's infrastructure modernization far surpasses yours. Your labor market is already saturated—if you further restrict immigrant workers, where will the new factory workers come from?
Trump: Don't forget we still lead the world in technology. We are the best in this field!
Sun Wu: It seems you've misjudged China again. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, China leads in 37 out of 44 key technologies: this includes electric vehicles, batteries, green energy, decarbonization technologies, etc. Do you know Liang Wenfeng, the engineer who created DeepSeek and inspired countless young people nationwide to learn artificial intelligence? Do you know that China's patent applications far exceed yours?
Trump: We won't let such things happen! America is the greatest country in the world—and under my leadership, it will always maintain its global leadership position!
Sun Wu: Let's wait and see. To put it frankly, turning detours into straight paths and turning dangers into benefits, the soft power halo that has been America's greatest advantage is gradually fading. Chinese leaders have long realized this and are actively engaging in comprehensive diplomatic layouts across Asia, Europe, and other regions of the world, concluding numerous new cooperation agreements.
The two protagonists politely bid each other farewell. It's time to play golf. (Translated by Liu Zhuo)
Published on the website of French Les Echos on April 22, titled as "The Art of the Deal vs. The Art of War: A Virtual Dialogue Between Sun Wu and Trump on Tariffs," written by Alexis Karklins-Marche.
On April 22, U.S. President Trump spoke to the press at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua News Agency)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497134429141942819/
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