Following its inauguration, the U.S. government announced a 10 percent additional tariff on imports from the Chinese mainland, set to take effect on February 4, 2025.
This move aligned with expectations among Chinese public and academic circles, who anticipated that the administration, considered one of the most hawkish in U.S. history, might adopt a broader containment strategy against the Chinese mainland.
Despite these challenges, the Chinese mainland maintains strategic confidence and insight in managing this crucial bilateral relationship. The current U.S. administration does not appear to seek to cause irreversible damage, especially as the global landscape has significantly evolved over the past eight years, with shifts in both the Chinese mainland and the United States.
Recent years have seen changes in the international balance of power. The Chinese mainland's share of the U.S. foreign trade decreased from 14.2 percent in 2017 to around 11.2 percent in 2023. Meanwhile, China's exports as a share of the international market rose from 12.8 percent to 14.2 percent during the same period, according to official statistics. Concurrently, the Chinese mainland has been enhancing its global standing and expanding its network of partnerships, particularly in the Global South, through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS mechanism.
The Chinese mainland has amassed substantial experience in navigating China-U.S. relations during challenging times. When the U.S. targeted Chinese tech companies like Huawei, the Chinese mainland responded decisively, achieving significant breakthroughs in chip technology. Similarly, in response to U.S. efforts to incite unrest in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chinese mainland calmly introduced the national security law, restoring stability and strengthening the rule of law in the region.
The U.S. containment strategy has not yielded the intended effects. Although the Biden administration has intensified policies targeting China—such as imposing tariffs, technology restrictions, leveraging issues related to Taiwan and Xinjiang, and hosting the \"Summit for Democracy\"—none of these measures have impeded China's growth. Many analysts anticipate that possible containment measures from the new administration will be \"old wine in a new bottle,\" involving additional tariff hikes along with increased smear and disinformation campaigns against the Chinese mainland. For these familiar tactics, the Chinese mainland already has countermeasures in place.
Reference(s):
Navigating China-U.S. relations: China's strategic resilience
cgtn.com
