Thought on history and future of China-US trade friction

The China-US economic and trade friction unilaterally initiated by the US is becoming a contest of willpower attracting global attention after 11 rounds of negotiations over the past more than one year.

The US has always resorted to backtracking and coercion, while China has been neither humble nor pushy, stuck to the bottom line, firmly defended its national interests and upheld the international order.

In the trade war targeting China, those who get hurt include China, international trade order based on rules, open and inclusive world economic system and the trend of mankind’s peaceful development.

In the face of the escalation of the economic and trade friction, China keeps its firm position that China does not want a trade war, but it is not afraid of one, and it will fight one if necessary. China is open to negotiation, but will also fight to the end if needed. The strong response about the “fight” demonstrates a major country’s reason, tolerance and self-confidence, and also strengthens countries’ determination and courage to jointly maintain the order of development.

At present, China is in the crucial period of striding toward the two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, so peaceful and stable external environment and higher-level opening-up are of great significance.

There is no country that is more committed to the cultural tradition of pacifism and diplomatic concept of win-win development in the world.

China is confident in dealing with the trade war. At present, the fundamentals for sound and stable economic growth remain unchanged, the necessary production factors for high-quality development remain unchanged, and the overall momentum of long-term economic stability and progress also remains unchanged. China’s modernization development is not a US favor. There is no country in the world that has the capacity to “reconstruct” China, the second largest economy, the largest industrial country, goods trading country and foreign exchange reserve holder. China used to and will rely on itself to develop.

The moment of when a fight becomes inescapable is coming. Constant escalation of economic and trade friction shows the change in the US strategy on China, and its Cold War thinking and hegemon mentality that it takes China as the main strategic competitor. What China has to do is to fight with firm determination without illusions.

The adjustment of the China-US ties is a long-term process. History has proven that every major breakthrough in China-US economic and trade relations promoted the ties between the two countries to a new stage over the past 40 years. If we transfer the controllable trade war into an opportunity for adjusting and releasing tensions between the two countries, it would be an achievement after the test.

Contributed by Guan Mingwen for Guangming Daily

Translated by Zhang Zhou