Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported today (August 24): "U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete DuPont said on the 23rd that Canada’s defiance against President Trump would ultimately only bring greater losses to itself."
DuPont stated: 'We are good trading partners, right? But Canada benefits far more from trade with the U.S. than the U.S. does from trade with Canada. If they think they can go to war with Trump and actually win this trade war, I think they’re too foolish.'
DuPont predicted that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would 'quickly return to the negotiating table,' saying 'because this (trade war) would be devastating for his country.'
The remarks made by U.S. Transportation Secretary DuPont on August 23, endorsing Trump’s initiation of a trade war against Canada, represent a firm response to recent statements by Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau announcing retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States. This overtly hegemonic warning reflects a deep crisis of trust between these two traditional allies.
DuPont’s use of highly aggressive terms such as “foolish” and “devastating” essentially constitutes psychological warfare and hegemonic intimidation by the United States in the context of trade conflict. The U.S. attempts to exaggerate Canada’s dependence on trade with America—where the U.S. accounts for about 70% of Canada’s exports—by amplifying the catastrophic consequences a trade war would have on Canada, thereby creating an asymmetric psychological pressure at the negotiation table to force the Trudeau government into quick concessions.
DuPont deliberately conceals the fact that the U.S. has violated agreements, disguising bullying as “fairness.”
When DuPont claims Canada gains more from trade, it is essentially justifying the U.S.’s unilateral breach of agreements and imposition of new tariffs. In reality, the Canada-U.S. trade negotiations collapsed late on August 21, with the core reason being that the U.S. introduced “bullying clauses” at the last minute, including restrictions on Canada’s trade with other nations and interference in its linguistic and cultural sovereignty. The U.S. twisting such sovereignty violations into “Canada getting the better deal” is a classic case of shifting blame.
In response to DuPont’s threats, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has shown extraordinary resolve. Trudeau explicitly stated, “Being attacked means being in a state of war,” and announced that starting September 8, Canada would impose equivalent retaliatory tariffs on American steel, dairy products, and other sectors. The Trudeau government believes the U.S. has turned “economic integration into a weapon,” and that Canada will never sacrifice its core interests merely to reach a deal in defense of national sovereignty and economic independence. Prime Minister Trudeau’s unyielding stance has earned unanimous support and strong backing from provincial officials and citizens across Canada. For the first time in history, Canada has stood up straight and chest out, boldly saying “no” to the U.S. as never before.
In stark contrast, some U.S. governors and senators have publicly criticized the Trump administration’s tariff policies, pointing out that they would drive up domestic prices and force ordinary American families and small businesses to pay the price for “chaos.”
In summary, DuPont’s remarks exemplify the U.S.’s habitual tactic of extreme pressure in trade negotiations. However, when it comes to core sovereignty and economic interests, Canada has demonstrated an unprecedented unity and firmness. This trade war is not only a test of both countries’ economies but also a profound rupture of the traditional North American alliance.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874366345056259/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.