China’s Unbowed & Trump Blinks Again

Once again, the Typepad software at Moon of Alabama negated my ability to post a devastatingly relevant comment to today’s “Tariffs - Trump Blinks Again” article and comment thread. It wasn’t the number of links it included as many comments get posted having many more; likely it was the source of those links, although both have been allowed before—well, before Trump’s Trade War escalation. (A reminder that MoA is based in Germany.) I had planned on a somewhat different article for today, but the Trade War seems to has caught readers’s attentions, so I’ll at least begin there.

Global Times reports, “BRICS members express grave concern over US 'reciprocal tariffs,' call for joint defense of multilateral trade system:"

BRICS members engaged in in-depth discussions regarding the US "reciprocal tariffs" policy, expressed serious concerns over the trade tensions triggered by the US measures, and jointly called for opposition to unilateralism and trade protectionism during the second meeting of the BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues, which was held via video conference from Thursday to Friday, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Saturday.

Do click the link to read the entire report. From Chinese media reports I've read, it was clear China, BRICS and others weren't just sitting on their hands trembling in fright at the moves of the mad Outlaw US Empire's Emperor. The headline from my Thursday article continues to hold true: "When You Make Enemies Everywhere, You Can't Sell Anything."

The head of Mexico's Chamber of Commerce is currently touring China and was interviewed by Global Times and said the following and more:

Looking at the history, Cadena said the future for bilateral trade is expected to follow the same direction, with "China will remain our second-largest trading partner because our economies are well integrated, and this may not change in the short term, given the high complementarity of the two nations."

"We will remain positive about the Chinese market and Chinese businesses," he said, adding that "we have been here in China as the Mexican Chamber for 18 years, and we expect to stay here long-term."

"This is about long-term business and long-term expectations," he noted.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (no relation) is in China for his third visit in three years. Are barflies (MoA’s readership) aware that China and Spain have a Strategic Partnership and have now for 20 years? From today's article about his visit:

People have noticed that on April 9, after the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened Spain by saying that getting closer to China would be like "cutting its own throat," Luis Planas, Spain's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, countered, stating that the country intends to "not only continue having" excellent trade relations with China, but also "expanding" the relation. In the shared endeavor to fight against unfair tariff barriers and uphold multilateralism and economic globalization, China and Spain have become partners on the same path.

Sanchez's visit has pressed the "accelerator" on deepening China-EU cooperation. On April 8, China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic held a talk via video and reached a consensus that "the two sides agreed to immediately start negotiations." Foreign media reported that China and the EU have agreed to look into setting minimum prices of Chinese-made electric vehicles instead of tariffs imposed by the EU last year.

From Guancha comes this soundbyte:

Whether it's tariffs or any other means, Trump just wants to make money, and he will use whatever means can make money, so there is no need to consider whether he is justified in doing so, and there is no need to consider whether it is in line with the rules of economics. In the end, it's a hooligan asking for money. [My Emphasis]

And then there's this:

Are you prepared to go to Trump on your knees, thinking that you can exchange some limited concessions for his mercy and survive for a long time? You will find that the only result of this is to expose your carotid artery to his blade, and he will not hesitate to cut it open, release the blood and squeeze you completely dry.

There're many more I could add, but the tenor is clear from those two. China has decided to exert its geopolitical weight openly for the first time since the CPC beat the KMT in 1949. The statement Wang Yi made I'll post to the Iran thread because it belongs there. China's showing how a responsible world power acts when some lesser power goes berserk and tries to sow chaos.

Here’s what I posted to the Iran thread:

Prior to today's indirect talks between Iran and the Outlaw US Empire Iran engaged in two multilateral meetings with Russia and China, one in Beijing and one in Moscow, over that last ten days. Most know but I'll spell it out: Iran is a component of Russia and China's strategic interests, and attacking Iran would also constitute an attack on Russia and China. In what amounts to a secondary editorial, today's Global Times said The US cannot act arbitrarily and the wheel of history cannot be turned back: Wang Yi:

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the current turbulent and chaotic international situation is largely caused by a certain major power clinging to the belief in the supremacy of strength, prioritizing self-interest, and engaging in unilateral bullying during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on Friday in Beijing.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, noted that the US has recently been brandishing tariffs across the globe, blatantly placing its own interests above those of the international community and openly disregarding the multilateral trade system and established rules.

Wang emphasized that the international community must not sit idly by, and the US cannot be act arbitrarily. The wheel of history cannot be turned back. China is a dignified major country and a responsible member of the international community. Standing up against power politics is not only to safeguard China's legitimate rights and interests, but also to defend the shared interests of the global community and prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle.

Wang stressed that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is willing to take this anniversary as an opportunity to firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law.

China will work with all countries to jointly oppose any attempts to reverse the course of history and undermine global norms, said Wang. [My Emphasis]

And Wang Yi's voice wasn't the only forceful one coming from China over the last several days. IMO, there's very little difference in conduct and rhetoric from Trump 1.0 to 2.0--just a different crew of crazed nutcases in pursuit of the same failed policy goals. The main difference is how BigLie Media's reporting events--instead of producing easily shot down insipid false narratives, reality is being used in a way we haven't seen in many years and the public's engaged thanks to the very foolish use of the Class War right at the start of this term--foolish for Trump, beneficial for Humanity. The world doesn't need a new Yalta; what was decided at the first one just needs to be enforced, and that's clearly Russia, China, BRICS, and the Global Majority's goal.

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