Trump’s China Policy Has a Flaw: It Makes China the Winner
- 6 years ago
Trump’s China Policy Has a Flaw: It Makes China the Winner
Several Chinese initiatives — its One Belt, One Road effort to build infrastructure to connect to Central Asia, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership it hopes to negotiate with its Asian neighbors,
and its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank — are aimed at building an institutional framework to rival the trade agreements and multinational financial institutions supported by the West.
President Trump’s announcement last week that the United States would impose a battery of tariffs against as much as $60 billion worth of Chinese
goods while restricting Chinese investments in American technology companies has set policy onto a different, more belligerent path.
As a counterweight, Washington could strengthen the global institutions
that support its own view of fair play, like the World Trade Organization, which the United States took such trouble to build.
Mr. Trump’s willingness to slap real punitive tariffs on Chinese goods, regardless of the collateral damage
they may cause on the American economy, gives Washington some leverage in its face-off with Beijing.
While Professor Mearsheimer argues that the United States should aim to contain China by preventing it from expanding its influence or conquering territory in Asia
and by building alliances to hem in Chinese power, Robert J.
Mr. Trump could even get China to offer more market access for agricultural products and other valuable American exports.
Several Chinese initiatives — its One Belt, One Road effort to build infrastructure to connect to Central Asia, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership it hopes to negotiate with its Asian neighbors,
and its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank — are aimed at building an institutional framework to rival the trade agreements and multinational financial institutions supported by the West.
President Trump’s announcement last week that the United States would impose a battery of tariffs against as much as $60 billion worth of Chinese
goods while restricting Chinese investments in American technology companies has set policy onto a different, more belligerent path.
As a counterweight, Washington could strengthen the global institutions
that support its own view of fair play, like the World Trade Organization, which the United States took such trouble to build.
Mr. Trump’s willingness to slap real punitive tariffs on Chinese goods, regardless of the collateral damage
they may cause on the American economy, gives Washington some leverage in its face-off with Beijing.
While Professor Mearsheimer argues that the United States should aim to contain China by preventing it from expanding its influence or conquering territory in Asia
and by building alliances to hem in Chinese power, Robert J.
Mr. Trump could even get China to offer more market access for agricultural products and other valuable American exports.