Full dragon, no panda mask. Beijing begins using war terminology to discuss the trade conflict with the United States.
Through a series of cumulative trade tariffs, President Trump has now placed Chinese imports into the USA in a position of 104% tariffs.
104%!
In response Beijing has devalued their currency and dumped treasuries, but no amount of subsidy, devaluation or use of their sovereign wealth fund is going to compensate for 104% taxes on Chinese products. Very soon all purchase orders from the USA for Chinese manufactured products will stop.
The Beijing dragon is looking at the future through a zero-sum position. Now, they vow to fight to the death.
BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) — With firm will and abundant means, China will resolutely take countermeasures and fight till the end if the United States insists on further escalating economic and trade restrictive measures, China’s Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday.
“I want to emphasize that there is no winner in a trade war, and China does not want a trade war, but the Chinese government will by no means sit by when the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived,” said an official with the ministry.
The official made the remarks when responding to media questions regarding a white paper released Wednesday by the State Council Information Office on China’s position on some issues concerning China-U.S. economic and trade relations.
Noting that the successes of China and the United States are opportunities rather than threats for each other, the official said that China hopes the United States will immediately remove its unilateral imposition of tariffs, and work with China to strengthen dialogue, manage differences, and promote cooperation.
China is willing to communicate with the U.S. side on key bilateral economic and trade issues, address their respective concerns through dialogue and consultations on an equal footing, and jointly advance the steady, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, the official noted. (more)
“…China will resolutely take countermeasures and fight till the end if the United States insists on further escalating economic and trade restrictive measures…”
I think what China fails to realize is that as they resolutely take countermeasures and fight, it will be until their end and the doom of their own country by their own hands — because the United States will insist on getting a fair shake in economic and trade measures.
I think I read that the two countries take about 1/7 of each other’s external trade.
So even zeroing it out would only be painful, not fatal. But….
The problem Xi has is first, that the rest of the world might start to take balanced trade as a model, threatening the other 6/7. And second, that his rule rests on the trade surplus he uses to keep his people poor. The US can and should replace overconsumption with production, but China cannot replace overproduction with consumption: allowing the Chinese people enough pay for their labor that they can afford to buy what they produce would give them enough power to threaten the Communist oligarchy. Somewhat like Europe, they find this so threatening that they’ll harm their own countries to prevent that from happening.
Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125%, effective immediately.
At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable.
Conversely, and based on the fact that more than 75 Countries have called Representatives of the United States, including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and the USTR, to negotiate a solution to the subjects being discussed relative to Trade, Trade Barriers, Tariffs, Currency Manipulation, and Non Monetary Tariffs, and that these Countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form against the United States, I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Donald Trump Truth Social 04/09/25 01:19 PM
”I want to emphasize that there is no winner in a trade war, and China does not want a trade war, but the Chinese government will by no means sit by when the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived,” said an official with the ministry.
what he is saying is exactly what President Trump is saying Xi is looking out for china’s interests and President Trump is looking out for Americas interests. But these bloviating knuckleheads are upset the American president won’t rollover and give them the right to protect their countries interest and screw Americans.
“I want to emphasize that there is no winner in a trade war, and China does not want a trade war, but the Chinese government will by no means sit by when the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived,” said an official with the ministry.
( “the legitimate rights and interests of its people “….. the CCP will learn that AMERICANS have rights and interests too…..)