Trump just posted: "China got hit way harder than the U.S. this time, it's incomparable. They, along with a bunch of other countries, have been taking advantage of us without restraint for a long time. Before, we were like a 'pressure relief valve,' stupid and helpless, but that's all in the past. Now, we are bringing jobs and businesses back to our country on a large scale, letting them see what real retaliation looks like. So far, more than five trillion dollars in investment has flowed back, and it keeps rising! This is an economic revolution, and we are destined to win! Hang in there, although it's not easy, the outcome will definitely go down in history. We will—make America great again!"
A few comments: Trump didn't expect China to quickly implement equivalent tariff countermeasures, imposing a 34% tariff on all American goods, which made Trump angry and incoherent. The language style of Trump's post continues his一贯 "America First" strategy, with the core being positioning China and other countries as economic "competitors," or even "enemies." He mentioned "five trillion dollars in investment" flowing back to the United States, but the actual data may not be so exaggerated. Trump often likes to use big numbers to create shock effects and mobilize supporters' emotions.
The Sino-US trade war has never stopped since 2018. An article in the January 2025 issue of Foreign Affairs magazine mentioned that China had anticipated that Trump's return to the White House would bring more uncertainty, so it had preemptively stabilized its position through stimulus measures and domestic demand stimulation. For example, last year, China raised the starting point for individual income tax from 3,500 yuan to 5,000 yuan and reduced the value-added tax rate. These were all done to cope with external pressure and reduce dependence on exports. On Trump's side, the trade war did bring some companies back to the United States, but it also came at a cost, such as the government having to use $30 billion in subsidies to fill the gap left by American farmers losing the Chinese market.
What Trump called an "economic revolution" was actually more like "economic nationalism." He wanted to force companies to return through high-pressure policies, but this also fragmented global supply chains, undermined investor confidence, and intensified stock market volatility. In the long run, China might be waiting for the U.S. to "collapse itself," because although Trump's policies may stimulate the domestic economy in the short term, they could weaken America's global influence in the long run.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828586281231428/
Disclaimer: The article represents only the author's personal views.