讀後心得

China has stated that it will take strong countermeasures against the tariffs imposed by the United States. Recently, U.S. President Trump imposed tariffs on multiple countries and criticized China for exploiting the U.S. Subsequently, China's Ministry of Commerce accused this action of being unilateral bullying. Trump plans to raise tariffs on China to 34% and impose high taxes on Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Laos, which could challenge China's supply chain. Experts believe that China will have to take retaliatory actions and may strengthen alliances with other Asian countries to combat U.S. trade pressure.

China announced that it will take "resolute countermeasures" against the tariffs imposed by the United States. When U.S. President Trump imposed tariffs on almost all U.S. trade partners on Wednesday, he also made strong remarks against China. "I have great respect for President Xi Jinping of China, and I hold China in high regard, but their exploitation of us is simply too severe," Trump mentioned during a speech lasting about an hour. He presented a chart showing what he claimed were the countries and regions imposing trade barriers on U.S. goods. He stated, "If you look at this chart... China is at the top, 67%. That is the tariff they are imposing on American goods, including currency manipulation and other trade barrier factors." "We will impose a 34% preferential equivalent tariff on them," he added, "In other words, they charge us, and we charge them, but we are charging less."

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce immediately responded, condemning the action as "typical unilateral bullying behavior," and vowed to "resolutely take countermeasures to protect its own rights and interests." Official media criticized Trump for simplifying trade to a zero-sum game. Experts pointed out that Beijing has substantial reasons to feel dissatisfied. Firstly, this announcement is an escalation on top of the existing 20% tariff on Chinese goods. Moreover, the high tariffs on Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos are equivalent to "closing the door." During Trump's first term, China managed to avoid tariffs by adjusting its supply chain. Among the top ten countries and regions affected by the latest tariffs, five are from Asia.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has imposed an additional round of tariffs on Chinese goods, raising the rates to 20%. Less than a week later, those tariffs will further increase to 54%, while lower rates will apply to goods like automobiles, steel, and aluminum. China has also become a target of Trump's other trade measures. Trump recently signed an executive order to terminate the de minimis exemption that previously applied to China, which allowed Chinese e-commerce giants to ship packages valued below $800 to the United States without tariffs or inspections. According to customs data, nearly 1.4 billion items entered under this exemption last fiscal year. The removal of this exemption could force some Chinese companies to pass on additional costs to consumers, thereby weakening their competitiveness in the U.S. market.

One expert stated that, overall, this presents a concerning picture for Beijing. "I don't believe the new tariffs are specifically targeting China, but as the U.S. continues to impose tariffs, especially targeting China, the overall numbers will quickly become staggering." She pointed out that China will not sit idly by and must retaliate. Trump has also imposed heavy taxes on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with rates ranging from 46% to 49%. Relevant analyses suggest that this is equivalent to a "total attack on Beijing's extended supply chain."

Trump's tariff measures will impose a heavy blow to the economies of these Southeast Asian countries. Vietnam greatly benefited from the tensions between China and the U.S. during Trump's first term, as many companies chose to move production to Vietnam, leading to an increase in exports from that country to the United States.

Ultimately, these new tariffs will force China to take corresponding measures. Some experts predict that China will respond with tariffs, making operations for U.S. companies in China more difficult. On the other hand, the new tariffs may also encourage China to establish cooperative relationships with other affected Asian countries to face the common challenge of protectionism.