Trump has been折腾for over a month, but he ultimately failed to win against China. On May 12th, a temporary agreement for 90 days was reached between China and the US, with both sides synchronously reducing tariffs by 115%. What is Trump's attitude towards this? We can see hints from his latest speech at the White House.

Late that day, Trump announced this decision at the White House. Unlike previous speeches, he did not improvise this time; instead, he read the entire text. In the reading, he emphasized the following two points:

1. He claimed that effective negotiations were held between China and the US, agreeing to significantly reduce tariffs, and that negotiation teams will continue their discussions;

2. At the same time, he added: these tariff agreements do not include automobile or pharmaceutical tariffs, and we hope pharmaceutical manufacturing can return.

Anyone can see that what he said afterward was to save face. Surprisingly, he rarely used his usual catchphrases like "we won" or "America won." Instead, the White House website later emphasized in its publicity that "we won."

Moreover, an extremely awkward scene occurred after Trump finished speaking: he hurried to leave immediately after announcing the matter, until his White House aides reminded him that he had yet to sign the relevant executive order. Thus, he had no choice but to turn back, pull out a chair, and sit down to sign it. Meanwhile, among the officials around him, two kept a straight face, and another awkwardly smiled.

From Trump's speech, it is clear that he is not very satisfied with this 90-day tariff agreement. However, this agreement could not have been made solely by US Treasury Secretary Benett, as he would not dare to act on his own. The decision must have been approved by Trump. Even Trump knows that this agreement means he has been blindly折腾ing for over a month. Moreover, future negotiations will still be dominated by China.

Since Trump is so reluctant, some Chinese netizens are now worried: Will he renege? Will he increase tariffs again within the 90-day period? I believe there is such a possibility, given his personality. However, China still holds several cards, so we are not afraid of him doing it again. Even if he does, he will still lose. The cards China holds include:

1. First, regarding rare mineral resources, China has not backed down. Many netizens may not have noticed that during the Sino-US talks, the National Export Control Coordination Mechanism Office announced a special crackdown action: strictly cracking down on strategic mineral smuggling exports. This move at this critical juncture clearly indicates its purpose.

2. Second, while reaching a 90-day agreement with the US, China also ushered in a new wave of diplomatic activities. Recently, high-ranking officials from several Latin American countries visited China, including Brazilian President Lula, Cuban Foreign Minister, Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Uruguayan Foreign Minister, and Peruvian Foreign Minister. President Lula stated: "We hope to join hands with China to emit a stronger Southern voice!" These diplomatic activities undoubtedly hold significant importance for global anti-hegemony efforts.

Additionally, many things have changed during the month when Trump pushed for "reciprocal tariffs." For example, the Japan-US relationship has been severely challenged, with Shigeru Ishiba's tough stance far exceeding expectations. As for the EU, it is still in negotiations with the US. After reaching an agreement with China, Trump will inevitably treat Japan and the EU as negotiating partners. This means he will have to make further concessions.

In summary, this tariff war has not ended yet. Even if Trump eventually returns everything to the original state, it does not mean that the overall international trade situation will revert to the past. Many changes are quietly happening under Trump's nose, and these changes indicate that hegemony will be difficult to dominate in the future. Let us continue to follow developments.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7503732768581419555/

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