【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

"Trump's imposition of tariffs on America's allies will only have one winner — China."

According to the U.S. political news website Politico, on October 1st local time, Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer made a speech in Toronto, Canada, and took advantage of the "China card," openly questioning President Trump's tariff policy.

In this speech, Whitmer praised the U.S.-Canada relationship, emphasizing that the two countries are closely connected through an integrated automotive industry based on hundreds of billions of cross-border investments. She said that the strong tone and "insults" from the United States toward Canada were not only "unwise and unnecessary," but also "irrational and unbeneficial."

She brought up China to ease the U.S.-Canada tensions. She claimed: "We are now using a chaotic national tariff policy that is biting ourselves... I sat next to the president and told him that when we say 'no' to Canada, it's like saying 'yes' to China."

On October 1st, Whitmer (left) met with Ontario Premier Ford, screenshot from video

When asked about the possibility of running for president, she did not rule out the possibility. She said, "I don't know if I need to be the main character in the next chapter, but I hope to be involved in writing it."

Politico reported that Trump's continued jabs at making Canada the 51st state have fueled anti-American sentiment in Canada and helped Mark Carney become Prime Minister. Last year, about three-quarters of Canada's exports went to the United States. During the U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, the Canadian government has been committed to diversifying its trade links, including seeking to strengthen ties with India and China.

Whitmer told the Canadian audience present that Trump's trade policies have severely affected the bilateral relationship, and now "six out of ten Canadians no longer trust the United States," calling it a "heartbreaking statistic."

Subsequently, Whitmer tried to distance herself from the Trump administration, stating that 60% of Americans believe Trump's tariff policy has gone too far, and "even a quarter of Republicans don't want to be associated with it."

She promised to continue pressuring the White House to urge the Trump administration to "stop this crazy global tariff policy."

According to Canadian CTV television network, on the same day, Whitmer held a meeting with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

Whitmer stated that Michigan felt the pain of Trump's tariff policy, "almost more difficult and faster than any other state in the United States." She pointed out: "Tariffs are extremely challenging for Michigan, our agriculture and manufacturing sectors have been severely hit."

Ford praised Whitmer's efforts to alleviate the impact of tariffs. "We are each other's largest trading partners. We have about $61 billion in two-way trade between Michigan and Ontario. I love America, and I know that Canadians love Americans. But one person caused the problem." He did not directly mention Trump's name here.

CTV mentioned that before Trump imposed taxes on Canada, the crossing points between Michigan and Ontario were considered the busiest in the U.S.-Canada trade. The two regions also share an integrated automotive supply chain, allowing vehicle parts to cross multiple times.

After Trump announced the tariff policy, the economies of Michigan and Ontario suffered serious damage. According to data from the Ontario financial regulatory authority, the province lost 29,400 jobs due to tariffs in the second quarter of this year. At the same time, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, since Trump returned to the White House, Michigan has lost 7,500 manufacturing jobs.

Bloomberg previously reported that Canada's relations with China and India have become tense under the Trudeau government, and the current Carney government has been trying to ease the tension with the two countries. American protectionism has also made Canada urgently seek to promote the diversification of trade relations, and the Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola, pork and seafood have further worsened its economic difficulties.

Last year, Canada followed the U.S. in imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum.

Regarding Canada's trade restrictions, the Chinese side has pointed out that it hopes Canada would immediately correct its wrong practices and stop the restrictive measures, from the perspective of maintaining the multilateral trade system and the overall interests of Sino-Canadian economic and trade relations. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

In August, China imposed temporary deposits on Canadian canola. Data shows that China is Canada's second-largest trading partner after the United States. Canada is the world's largest exporter of canola, and its canola product exports to China reached nearly 5 billion CAD (about 3.63 billion USD) in 2024.

Recently, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand was reported to visit China and India to discuss issues that have troubled bilateral relations in recent years and seek ways to cooperate. However, Bloomberg published an article questioning whether Canada wants China to withdraw its tariff retaliation, but what kind of exchange conditions can Canada offer China?

This article is an exclusive article from Observer Net, and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7556425145104089636/

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