US-China Trade Tensions Escalate Protectionism Debate Amid Trump Tariffs and Xi Jinping's Warning

Published on 3.29.25

  The escalating trade tensions between the United States and China have sparked a heated debate about the merits of protectionism in international relations. Critics, including Chinese economist Wu Xiaoqiu, argue that high tariffs are an outdated method for protecting domestic economies, emphasizing the need for a trade system based on comparative advantage, competitive cooperation, and liberalized trade. US President Donald Trump's plan to introduce retaliatory tariffs is expected to burden businesses and consumers as it escalates the trade war. This move has prompted threats of retaliation from China, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling on global business leaders to resist protectionism during a meeting in Beijing. Senior officials warn that the multifront trade war could weaken the US's ability to compete in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. China is catching up in these areas, but leads in others like cryptocurrency and electric vehicles. The US has an edge in some tech fields, but its actions may inadvertently give China an advantage by disrupting global technology value chains. Wu Xiaoqiu warns that rising protectionist sentiment threatens global economic recovery and could lead to a 'law of the jungle' era where no nation's domestic rules supersede international norms. This approach would undermine global fairness and result in global chaos, posing major obstacles to US industry, universities, and workers seeking to compete on advanced technologies. The trade tensions have also raised concerns about China's growing technological advancements, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

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