Berlin Morning Post: China Could Be the Winner of the Tariff War
Berlin Morning Post opines: US President Donald Trump seems to have miscalculated. After imposing an additional 34% tariff on Chinese goods, Trump adopted a condescending attitude and proposed negotiations to China: if China sells its short video service TikTok to the US, the US might consider reducing the tariff. However, Beijing ignored this proposal and retaliated on Friday: the Chinese Ministry of Finance announced that starting April 10th, an additional 34% tariff would also be imposed on all imports from the US. China also implemented export controls on seven rare earth elements, including gadolinium used in magnetic resonance imaging and yttrium used in electronic devices. Finally, Beijing filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding US import tariffs. After two days of reflection, China now demonstrates its determination.
The Chinese social media responded calmly to Trump. Many users mocked Trump: "If he could, Trump would even impose tariffs on the sun." This comment has gone viral on the microblogging platform Weibo. In fact, Trump's strongest target is China, but his tariff rhetoric has shocked the entire Asian region and even affected US traditional allies such as Japan, South Korea, and even Taiwan, which described these tariffs as 'regrettable' and 'highly inappropriate.'
Trump's unpredictable trade and diplomatic policies unintentionally provided significant support for China and elevated its status. Tokyo and Seoul have clearly sought dialogue with Beijing to coordinate more closely against the backdrop of US tariffs. Just a few months ago, such reconciliation was unimaginable.
In the short and medium term, tariff measures may affect China's economic development. However, China has been preparing for this situation for years: China is making remarkable efforts to achieve technological self-reliance, exploring new markets in the Global South, and also preparing for a 'long-term struggle.'
Where there is oppression, there is resistance. The more obstacles Trump places before the Chinese people, the more it ignites their patriotic fervor and resilience. The recent success of Huawei, BYD, and DeepSeek has proven this point.
China has the potential to become the winner of the tariff war.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828687427002379/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.