Latest news with #XuWeijun
South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why Trump's 14-nation tariff package puts China on edge and pressures Southeast Asia
When US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to extend a pause on 'reciprocal' tariffs until August 1, it offered little comfort to China. Advertisement Instead, Beijing's policymakers may feel increasingly cornered, as Washington also moved to target 14 countries – many of them China's close trading partners – with tariffs of up to 40 per cent. This came despite breakthrough talks in London that laid the groundwork to remove most bilateral export controls – from China's rare earth restrictions to US aircraft engines and chips. Analysts said the latest US tariff package was a calculated strategy to isolate China and strengthen Washington's position in coming trade negotiations, as the 90-day trade truce agreed in May is set to expire in early August. 'Trump's newly announced tariffs ... are a continuation of this decoupling agenda,' said Xu Weijun, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of Public Policy at South China University of Technology. Advertisement 'It's both pressure and division: the message is clear – 'cooperative' countries like Vietnam get preferential treatment , while others face high tariffs,' he said.
South China Morning Post
09-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Beijing white paper outlines China's trade stance before retaliatory strike on US
China has unveiled a comprehensive framework reaffirming its stance on trade ties with the United States, warning that its tariffs would 'ultimately backfire', while still leaving the door open for 'equal-footed dialogue' between the countries. Advertisement The white paper, released by the State Council Information Office on Wednesday against the backdrop of an escalated trade war, outlines China's position on key issues – highlighting the 'mutually beneficial nature' of China-US trade; voicing support for free trade; warning against the harms of unilateralism and protectionism; and urging dialogue to resolve disputes. 'History and reality have shown that raising tariffs will not solve the US' own problems,' China's Ministry of Commerce said in a response released along with the white paper on Wednesday, urging Washington to immediately lift 'unilateral measures' and enhance dialogue. 'Instead, it triggers market volatility, fuels inflation in the US, erodes its industrial base, and increases the risk of its economic recession – ultimately, the US will only suffer the consequences itself.' The document was released before China announced the imposition of a fresh 50 per cent tariff on all American imports in response to a 50 per cent tariff hike on its goods from US President Donald Trump. For other countries, this is an important assurance and stance to stabilise the global trade situation Xu Weijun, South China University of Technology This is the third time since the trade war erupted in 2018 that China has issued a white paper, according to Xu Weijun, a researcher with the South China University of Technology's Institute of Public Policy in Guangzhou, adding that 'the intended audience is not just the US'.
