Rationality needed for future trade talks

Source:Global Times Published: 2019/7/1 23:08:40

File Photo: Xinhua



After President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reached an important consensus at the meeting in Osaka, some US politicians questioned Trump's measures to restart trade consultations with China. They demanded to keep pressure on Huawei. US Senator Marco Rubio, who has been acting against China, even called Trump's Huawei reversal a "catastrophic mistake" and suggested that restrictions be restored through legislation.

Such opposition is an old tactic of US politics. It is US society's mainstream opinion to restart China-US trade consultations. To restart consultations, the US should not aggravate its maximum pressure on China. 

It was May 16 when Huawei was added to the Entity List and Rubio claimed that lifting it would be catastrophic to US national security. It would be pathetic for the US if such clamor exerts actual pressure.

Contrary to fierce opposition from politicians, US stock markets on Monday responded positively to the resumption of China-US trade talks agreed to by Xi and Trump on Saturday. Investors' mood more accurately reflects the true attitude of US society. Imagine if the China-US summit ended with negative news, some US politicians would cheer, but the US market would plummet, hurting investors and many more ordinary people.

US trade policies toward China are not totally promoted by rationality. Political interests always intrude in economic interests and cause abnormal policy changes. Ideology also causes uncertainty.

China should not be confused by diverse US opinions. We should adhere to basic principles. China should be brave in sticking to core interests and reasonable requests and be ready to bear some consequences. China's insistence will be repaid. The US is loath to abandon the Chinese market, and it is impossible for Washington to maintain maximum pressure. 

Future China-US trade consultations will be arduous. The US politicians' opposition will be exploited by Washington during negotiations, and it is hard to tell whether the US will play other cards. 

Chinese society should consolidate its focus and stay calm. China and the US may eventually reach an agreement, but the process may be full of twists and turns. China should be prepared for new pressure. We will be more stable whether there is an agreement or not.

Compared with the early period of the trade war or even two months ago, the US now has a better understanding of China's strength and will. More Americans know that it is hard and unrealistic to crush China. The two countries have accumulated more realistic reasons to resume negotiations. The Chinese people should be confident about this and take it calmly no matter what happens.

China cannot use unreasonable conditions to prevail over the US. Washington thought that it could prevail over Beijing with maximum pressure and force Beijing to accept unequal conditions. But now, to a great extent, Washington knows it cannot. This is the current situation between China and the US. Consolidate China's attitude and build economic and political support, and then we can urge Washington to be practical and realistic. Although difficulties remain, all risks will be under control.



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