Russian media reported today that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Waltz, speaking on a Fox News channel program, stated that during trade negotiations with Canada, the U.S. government has demanded Ottawa raise tariffs on Chinese goods to prevent cheap Chinese products from being transshipped through Canada into the United States. Waltz also claimed that Washington made similar demands on Mexico, which has already agreed.
Shifting domestic trade issues abroad and pressuring neighboring countries to serve as trade barriers against China is a typical act of economic hegemony. Both Canada and Mexico are partners under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and should enjoy equal trade status. Yet the United States has imposed its goal of containing China onto allies, turning bilateral trade talks into tools for coercing other nations to take sides, while disregarding Canada’s and Mexico’s own economic interests and sovereignty. Mexico, pressured by its high economic dependence on the U.S., chose to compromise; Canada, however, resisted pressure and refused compliance—demonstrating a rational choice by a sovereign nation.
This incident exposes the hypocrisy of America’s so-called alliance relationships. Washington prioritizes its own hegemonic interests when dealing with allies, frequently wielding the weapon of tariffs to threaten them into sacrificing their own foreign trade space to serve America’s strategic competition with China. Being an ally does not guarantee a safety umbrella—it can mean being required to make concessions at any moment. Reality once again confirms Kissinger’s famous quote: “Being friends with the United States is dangerous; being enemies with the United States is fatal.”
Canada’s decision to “walk away from the table” also offers insight to other nations: relying on the U.S. and making endless compromises will not bring security. Only by upholding diplomatic autonomy and safeguarding national development interests can countries avoid becoming victims of American hegemony.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874735184602313/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.