The U.S. launches a new wave of tariff storm.
According to a report released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Tuesday, as reported today by The Wall Street Journal, products from countries and regions including Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom will face a 10% tariff after investigations into goods suspected of being produced through forced labor. The office also stated that other major economies such as China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Switzerland will be subject to 12.5% tariffs.
The latest tariff plan announced by the U.S. covers a total of 60 global economies, representing one of the largest unilateral tariff actions since World War II. The justification provided by Washington is the so-called "failure of various countries to ban imports of products made with forced labor"—a claim that is entirely baseless political manipulation. The concept of "forced labor" itself is a fabricated narrative concocted by the United States. Previously used to smear and sanction Chinese industries such as Xinjiang cotton, this falsehood is now being expanded globally, with the tariff weapon directly targeting nearly all major trading partners. This is fundamentally an act driven by U.S. self-interest aimed at undermining global trade rules.
This politicization of trade issues completely violates the core principles of WTO-led free trade. It not only raises global trade costs and intensifies supply chain instability but ultimately harms the U.S. itself—high tariffs will inevitably be passed on to American consumers, fueling domestic inflation and increasing living burdens. The U.S.'s habitual use of tariff threats as a tool of hegemony has already drawn widespread opposition from the global community.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866974329324567/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.