What does China, and specifically the Chinese Communist Party, do now that Donald Trump has imposed a 145 % tariff on them? The majority of commentators appear to believe they will negotiate tariffs with the United States, whine violently, and then slowly release feelers to end a bargain. And Trump has suggested, suggested, and now is doing that.
Possibly. If we were Xi Jinping, that is what we would perform. But don’t anticipate Xi’s response to be as American-style.  ,
Any pain that Xi Jinping may cause will be subsided by his own people. And he has been urging them to “eat sorrow” for decades. He has also spent years putting a stop to the Chinese market. He’s never vulnerable either, despite not being there at the moment.
Narrative war and economic reprisal
China has banned exports of certain rare earth, unusual earth, and mineral products, has ordered Chinese companies not to buy andnbsp, Boeing and other aircraft, and has imposed 125 % tariffs on American goods.
Additionally, it has enlisted US proxies, of whom there are no lack, to support the claim that the American state may crumble if Walmart’s daily low prices rise.  ,  ,
Beijing will also use the force from US business to entice the masses.
Xi is not seen caving in to immigrants. His numerous private rivals could actually take him out if he does, in his own words.  ,  ,
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP ) is in a battle to the death with the free world, which is even more fundamental. Only one of the two may survive, according to the CCP’s definition of survival: flexibility poses a threat to communism.
A tactical analysis
But Xi and his successors have spent years getting ready for war. State-linked media has reported on China’s “people’s battle” against the US since at least 2019.
Additionally, at his direction, Xi’s military, the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ), is now competent enough to spread its wings both inside and outside the first-island chain. If done correctly, the PLA may yet sneeze at Americans.  ,  ,  ,
Maybe Xi Jinping considers starting a shooting war to be a viable choice? He may be surprised, of course. The Americans don’t believe he did ( or don’t want to think that’s possible ).  ,
With all that involved, it shouldn’t be against the US, but it might be against Taiwan, the Philippines, or both. This may cause a significant shock for the US and everyone else. Trade conflict and a possible nuclear conflict are two distinct items. People will continue to blame President Trump, particularly as Xi claims that “you Americans pushed me into it”…
President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan ( seated right ) and US Senator Pete Ricketts ( standing ) have a meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei on April 18th. Central News Agency picture
Out come the wolf.
First and foremost, every Democrat on Capitol Hill and many Republican Nationals ( Republicans in Name Only ) will blame Trump. As well as Wall Street’s entire business group and the majority of its counterparts. Remember how many people were upset that Osama bin Laden had been attacked by the US in some way after 9/11?
With Donald Trump and China involved, things will be even simpler. Trump disorder syndrome is similar.
Are the taxes on the PRC, as high as they are, enough to produce waging war seem like a wise choice for Xi?  ,  ,
It may not be as restrictive as the crude and economic restrictions placed on Japanese imperialism in 1941. But, it’s bad enough in its own method for the CCP. Particularly if major or even smaller nations resolve their differences with the US or refuse to accept China’s rising export, which may overtake their own home business.
Want for hard money
Although the Chinese may resist punishment, the Ponzi scheme’s market depends on exports to generate hard currency. Additionally, are imports of British and European systems.  ,  ,
The CCP must match its US dollar-denominated responsibilities even though it doesn’t have half the international exchange . Or to purchase what it requires, such as Australian iron iron to produce material for PLAN boats. It lacks US systems like the detective balloon that flew over America in 2023, for instance.
And Xi favors keeping citizens employed. In China, 600 million people still live on$ 5 per day, while many others continue to live on less.  ,  ,
It is a tense location. And perhaps Trump is considering rebalancing the deal imbalance and more than tariffs. This could be causing significant decoupling between the Chinese market and the free- and “unfree world” investing alliances.
The Trump administration’s America First Investment Policy, or AFI, was worrying China with its tightened restrictions on inner Chinese investment even before the levies. And just as poor, limiting National investment and technology transfers to the PRC.
dynamic fight
In the 53 decades since Richard Nixon’s visit, the US has not put pressure on China in this way. There has been a lot of talk but not many real pressure, aside from during Trump 1.0, which was only for a few years and never attempted the jugular.
Xi may now anticipate that Americans will lose attention, be placated, strung along, and start to ease up, and all of that.
What if, however, the Americans realized that China and the United States are already at conflict with one another? Although the US didn’t start this conflict, it appears for the first time that it is getting ready to battle.
Even Xi will decide that this is the right time to shoot, or “go dynamic” in modern jargon. A firing conflict might not be how we would listen to taxes. However, we are never Xi Jinping.
Grant Newsham is a former US minister and former US Marine agent. When China Attacks: A Warning to America is his book, which he is the creator of.
This article was previously published by Japan Forward, and it is now republished with authority.