By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
When the international community is looking forward to the positive and constructive progress made in the China-US trade talks, Washington once again betrayed justice.
It unilaterally announced that it would slap 10 percent tariffs on another $300 billion of Chinese imports, a ridiculous decision that again revealed to the world the country’s indifference to rules and untrustworthiness.
The bad faith and breach of consensus of the US are responsible for every twist and turn that happened to the economic and trade consultations between the two countries over the past year.
Some American politicians have repeatedly threatened with tariffs to force China to make concessions and never hesitated to employ clumsy tricks of various forms, fully exposing their bullying nature.
They sacrificed the rational demands of American citizens and enterprises, the legitimate interests of other countries, and international justice, just to bag more private profits.
The China-US economic and trade consultations fully exposed the capriciousness of the US.
In response to the trade frictions upgraded by the US, China immediately declared its position in a solemn manner. If the US seriously imposes additional tariffs on Chinese goods, China will have no choice but to take counter-measures to resolutely defend the core interests of the country and the fundamental interests of its people, no matter what consequences the US will be faced with.
Looking back on the diplomatic history of the People’s Republic of China, the country has never succumbed to external pressure, a long-known truth to the world.
As the world’s second largest economy, China has the support from the unity of the Chinese people and is firmly backed by the justice followers in the international community.
The country will never give in to external pressure or sacrifice its core interests and the fundamental interests of its people.
It needs to be pointed out that the obsession of some Americans with abusing extreme pressure has incurred widespread resentment and open opposition from the international community. Some US officials’ unreasonable demands and hegemonic practices further stained the image of the country.
Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment in Australia, said in a recent interview that the new tariff is bad for China, the US, Australia and the world. If it is finally implemented, it could breach the rules of the World Trade Organization, the minister added.
Insightful people in the US feel worried as the country has isolated itself and stepped into a strategic zone that had never been trod on before.
What lies at the root of America’s extreme oppression over other countries is its belief in hegemony and the law of jungle. The country thinks that it can override the international morals and rules through brute force.
Peter Navarro, White House trade adviser, said bluntly that other countries dare not to take retaliatory measures against the US because of its great power.
“But the relationship of power and interdependence changes over time, and too much manipulation of America’s privileged position in global interdependence could prove self-defeating,” said Joseph S. Nye, Jr., a professor at Harvard University, in an article titled Power and Interdependence in the Trump Era.
Ana Palacio, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, further pointed out that the US is trying to retreat to primitive strength by itself and impose the “America first” agenda on the rest of the world, which will only weaken its authority and invite disasters. Many western observers predicted that the US will not get its wish.
A country that threatens and bullies others will not get its way. The practices of some Americans go against the trend of time and will only enhance people’s thinking and action on strengthening multilateral cooperation and improving global governance.
In this sense, the more the US bullies, the less the global countries care. The country will only draw the flames to itself if it determines to play with fire.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name used often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
