Archive April 29, 2025

Taiwanese President Donald Trump began his first term in office in 2017 by launching the most hawkish economic policy he has ever had.

Trump has a staunchly protectionist trade agenda that has resulted in a de facto trade embargo between the world’s two largest economies in the first 100 days of his second term, raising the stakes even higher for Beijing.

Most of the country’s products are currently subject to US tariffs of 145 percent, while some of the rate is also rising to 245 percent, while existing barriers to Chinese exporters’ ability to avoid pre-existing tariffs have been closed.

In response, China has imposed 125 percent tariffs on the majority of US products, in addition to other retaliatory measures like tighter restrictions on the number of Hollywood movies shown in Chinese theaters and export controls on critical minerals.

Trump’s trade war picks up from where his first administration ended, inspired by a long-standing belief that China and other nations have profited from their trade with the US.

“It’s essentially a continuation in terms of objectives and direction, perhaps with more tenacity and determination. Zhiwu Chen, a professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, claimed on Al Jazeera that he has been treating China as an adversary rather than a friend.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the US trade deficit for goods and services totaled $ 918.4 billion in 2024, with a record $1.2 trillion deficit for goods.

In Trump’s worldview, China ranks third behind Mexico and Canada in terms of trade, making it the third-largest exporter.

Trump believes that China exploited the US consumer in the wake of globalization, according to Dennis Wilder, a former White House official and senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Initiative for US-China Dialogue on Global Issues.

He will seek Chinese investment in the US to create good blue-collar jobs and balance trade to provide good jobs for Americans. He wants US businesses to be able to sell in China much more readily.

Trump retaliated against Chinese companies’ “unfair trade practices” and intellectual property theft in his first trade war with China in 2018.

His administration imposed tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods over the course of two years, the majority of which are still in place five years later.

Trump made it clear that if he was to return to the White House, he would impose even higher tariffs on China during his campaign for re-election last year.

While Trump’s anti-China trade policy has come as no surprise since January, Jeffrey Moon, who was the country’s assistant US trade representative for China under former US President Barack Obama, said that observers have taken aback by the scope and erratic on-again, off-again nature of his tariffs.

Trump claimed that he was surprised and dissapointed when he won the election in 2016. According to Moon, who leads the consulting firm China Moon Strategies, a conservative US think tank, a political roadmap was created by the Heritage Foundation, which included reciprocal tariffs, which was delivered in 2025.

Former US President Joe Biden continued to impose most of Trump’s original tariffs, adding that while the Biden administration portrayed the US-China conflict as an ideological conflict between democracy and authoritarianism, Trump is driven by a different set of values, according to Wilder.

Trump is a geoeconomic, not a geostrategic president, he said, as has become clear in the second term.

Trump, in response to Chinese President Xi Jinping, said, “Trump does not seek the demise of President Xi or seeks decoupling from the Chinese economy unless China is unwilling to offer the US what he sees as a fairer deal in economic relations.”

Tariffs that are “unsustainable”

Trump and White House officials have made it clear in recent weeks that they want to negotiate with China and lower the 145% tariff, which US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as “unsustainable.”

Trump has stated that his administration is negotiating with Beijing for trade. Any such discussions have not yet begun, according to Chinese officials.

According to Ray Wang, a Washington, DC-based analyst who studies US-China economic statecraft, Trump’s policy of maximizing pressure on China might have a negative impact and encourage Beijing to pursue further “decoupling” from the US economy.

Beijing’s embargo-level tariffs and more hawkish rhetoric make it unlikely to engage in meaningful negotiations, Wang said, putting the pressure on efforts to address the policy’s specific economic concerns.

Chinese manufacturers may increasingly look to other nations to protect themselves from the US economy, according to Marina Zhang, an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney’s Australia-China Relations Institute.

Zhang told Al Jazeera, “China’s exporters to the US face immediate pressure, but Beijing’s wider push for market diversification – to ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America – gains new urgency and traction.”

Trump has also focused on US trade with other nations in general as the US-China trade war drags on.

Trump has placed separate rounds of on-again, off-again tariffs against Mexico and Canada over the course of the past 100 days.

With the announcement of so-called “reciprocal tariffs” of 10 to 49 percent, he started the trade war with more than 180 nations and territories on April 2.

Trump put the tariffs on hold for 90 days in advance of country-by-country negotiations, but he has continued to press China’s trading partners to close the export loopholes.

Trump’s China strategy fits into a global economic strategy, according to his first term. He will want to make sure that any new trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc. don’t undermine China’s efforts to achieve fairness in US-China trade, according to Wilder, a former White House official.

Trump’s ultimate goal, according to Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, is to rewrite the country’s long-standing “Washington consensus” to one that is inspired by him.

The Trump administration’s relationship with the world’s largest economy is changing, according to the report. Thompson told Al Jazeera, “That’s not specifically directed at China.”

The time has come for the resurrection.

Politically speaking, Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada will form Ottawa’s upcoming federal government.

This is in stark contrast to the agonizing fate Liberals experienced just a few months ago when Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives were cruising to an impressive mandate.

In contrast to the cocky Poilievre, the Liberals voted. They turned to Carney, a former banker, as their saviour instead of the Jejune Trudeau.

The Liberals won a fourth consecutive term, and the calculated gamble paid off last night, with the party’s victory. The Tories will once more be forced to resign from their seats on the Opposition benches.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party, is owed an electoral debt to Carney for resisting the relentless pressure to drop his parliamentary support for the Liberals until Trudeau resigned as leader of the party.

If the election had been called sooner, Poilievre would have been in control.

Carney owes US President Donald Trump the most sincere debt of gratitude, though.

The Liberal Party’s political climate changed inexorably when Trump was re-elected to the Oval Office and began to make public musings about his ambitious plans for Canada and its abundant natural resources.

The only thing that Carney and his staff knew about the outcome of perhaps the most significant election in Canada’s frequently tumultuous history was how best to deal with an illogical American president’s desire to annexe a proud neighbor to the north.

Trump never skimmed the incredible opportunity to show voters how much of a fearful, tall shadow he had cast over a tense nation’s future because he injected himself so vehemently into the Canadian consciousness.

Indeed, when polls began to wane on the eve of the election, Trump broke his uncharacteristic silence to give his fervent desire to conquer Canada a new life.

Carney may have lacked a coveted majority, but he was able to persuade a sizable portion of Canadians that a vile technocrat was the “serious” answer to a profoundly unserious leader.

Given the favorable circumstances, Prime Minister-elect Carney should write a handwritten thank-you note to Trump for stumbling wildly as the cartoonish villain that Canadians, including a sizable portion of Quebecers who were once separatist-leaning, were eager to defy at the polls.

Trump was an unrepentant gift for Carney and his grateful companions who could not resist the ego-gratifying temptation to confirm his influence on both American and Canadian history.

Trump poses a unique and significant challenge to Canada’s suddenly uncertain future.

He is a vehement troll who uses his powerful pulpit and social media addiction to stoke unrest and disturb both his supporters and foes.

Trump reaffirmed last week in an interview that his efforts to make Canada the nation’s 51st state were genuine. Time magazine celebrated his 100th day in office.

He claimed, “I’m not really trolling.” The only way this actually works is for Canada to delegate to the states.

Carney has also repeatedly reaffirmed his concern that the enduring, trustworthy agreement between Canada and the US has come to an end.

America desires our nation. our sources. Our water . Our nation These are not merely threats. Trump recently claimed that he is attempting to “break us” so that America can own us. Our previous friendship with the United States is over.

In order to refute Trump’s colonial designs and forge new trading relationships with other, more trustworthy partners, Carney has argued that Canada will have to wean itself from its long-standing economic dependence on America.

Turning rhetoric into reality is the main challenge he must address as prime minister.

He will also need to address the ever-rising cost of living, from groceries to housing, quickly because of the affordability crisis that predominates among Canadians, both young and old.

In order to achieve that objective, Carney will need to dissuade his critics of their reasonable belief that he is a traditionalist in every way. In the name of “fiscal responsibility,” he will have to break with the Liberal Party’s blatant habit of abiding by its egalitarian pledges.

Can Carney unite a divided populace to create the necessary resolve to defeat a president who wants to destroy Canada? This will determine whether his improbable tenure as prime minister will succeed or fail.

It will be challenging.

Trump is aware that he can use the tools, power, and influence that an American commander-in-chief has to impose himself on others and force him to do so.

Canada is actually a small nation, dwarfed by its unparalleled presence and widespreadness despite its enormous size.

In order to prepare and gird Canadians for the battle of survival that will undoubtedly last for years, Carney and his cabinet will need to make use of all the ingenuity and imagination that they can muster.

Carney will need to persuade a large number of skeptical Canadians that his course is the right one, stifled and disenchanted by a decade of Liberal Party clout and rule.

At this crucial moment, that work must begin.

In the end, crises can open up opportunities.

If Carney is truly determined to let go of Trump’s vehement hold on of Canada, he should grab the opportunity to break free of the economic shackles that are imposed on the confederation he controls and establish an independent foreign policy that rejects arbitrary military action and the coercion of indictable war criminals in Tel Aviv.

The day is now won by Mark Carney. The victory has given him the privileges of victory.

If he cannot, in due course, defeat Donald Trump, a decidedly more resolute and formidable foe, his sweet victory may prove brief and hollow.

The Liberal Party, which governs Canada, has won national elections dominated by Trump’s trade and annexation threats.

The Liberals won a stunning victory in the hands of prime minister Mark Carney, who campaigned for Canada in the face of Trump’s threats. Up until recently, the party had been on track for a crushing defeat.

The Liberals had 168 seats in the 343-seat house as of 8:00 GMT on Tuesday, four more than the Conservatives’ 144 seats, compared to the 144 that the Liberals had gathered.

Trump has not yet commented on the Liberal victory, which is widely believed to have been driven by his actions and contentious statements, including his once-repeated suggestion that Canada should become the “loved 51st” state of the US.

In his victory speech, Carney issued a somber warning to Canadians, urging them to unite in response to Trump’s threats.

He claimed that America desires its land, resources, water, and nation. Trump claims that he is attempting to “break us” to allow America to own us. that will never… ever occur, but we must also acknowledge that the reality is that the world has fundamentally changed. ”

The results have been quickly greeted by Canada’s allies in Europe and other parts of the world, and they have also emphasized their shared commitment to democratic values and the rules-based international order.

Some examples are given here. reactions to the outcomes:

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission

Von der Leyen remarked, “The relationship between Europe and Canada is strong and growing.”   We will support free and fair trade, promote multilateralism, and defend our shared democratic values. ”

Antonio Costa, president of the European Council

He congratulated the world on its “warm congratulations” and said, “We all have the same values and respect for the rules-based international order and the UN Charter.” ”

Keir Starmer, the prime minister of India,

Congratulations on your victory in the election, Mark Carney. The closest allies, partners, and friends are the UK and Canada, according to Starmer. I applaud your leadership on global issues, and I’m confident that our efforts will be focused on advancing trade, security, and investment. ”

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France,

In a social media post about Carney, Macron said, “You embody a strong Canada in the face of the great challenges of our time.” France anticipates extending the friendship that our nations share. ”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine

Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for Canada’s sincere support for Ukraine in a statement on social media. In our shared quest for peace, justice, and security, we are confident that our partnership will only strengthen. ”

Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO,

Rutte wrote on social media that Canada is a valued NATO member. Working together to strengthen and advance the Alliance will require increased investment in defense and increased industrial production to ensure that we have what is necessary to stay safe. ”

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof

Schoof expressed his excitement about extending “the close cooperation” between Canada and the Netherlands and welcoming Carney to the June-advanced NATO Summit in The Hague.

Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia,

Congratulations on your victory, said Mark Carney, the prime minister. I look forward to working with you in this uncertain time to strengthen the enduring friendship between our countries in the interests of all of our citizens. ”

Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister,

India and Canada are bound by “shared democratic values, a steadfast commitment to the rule of law, and vibrant people-to-people ties,” according to Modi, whose recent strained relations with Canada are strained. Working with you will help us strengthen our partnership and give our employees more opportunities. ”

China

China, another nation with icy ties to Canada, expressed its willingness to bolster ties. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China is willing to grow its cooperation with Canada in exchange for reciprocity, equality, and benefits. spokesman Guo Jiakun stated.

Joe Biden, a former US President,

Biden praised Liberal Party candidate Mark Carney and Prime Minister Carney for winning the election in Canada. I have faith that Mark will lead with the fundamental principles that both Americans and Canadians share. ”