In a report by Epoch Times on April 22, 2025, American scholars pointed out that China will find it difficult to survive in the long-term games with the United States and the West amidst the US-China trade war. British media also urged countries not to sit on the fence and to stand on the side of the United States.
Michael Sobolik, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute, wrote in The New York Post that the US-China trade war has surpassed mere tariff rates or economic agreements.
“In the locked global trade war, both the United States and the Chinese Communist Party anticipate that other countries around the world will need to take sides in this new Cold War of the 21st century,” he wrote.
A few days ago, US President Trump hinted that countries may have to choose between the United States and China (CCP). US officials leaked a plan to block Beijing from rerouting exports to the US through other countries using the President’s “Liberation Day” tariff.
In response on Monday (April 21), the CCP stated that they “would never accept such a circumstance and would decisively take countermeasures.”
The CCP is trying to woo US allies and partners by exploiting their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration’s tariff measures. Other than the US and China, the rest of the world accounts for 44% of global GDP and 64% of global trade.
South Korea’s Economic Daily reported on Tuesday (April 22) that according to government and company sources, Beijing recently requested South Korean companies not to export products containing Chinese rare earth minerals to US defense companies.
Japan’s Kyodo News reported on Tuesday that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang had written to Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe, urging a coordinated response to US President Trump’s tariff measures. Japanese government officials revealed that the letter emphasized the necessity of “jointly combating protectionism.”
On Tuesday, a CCP foreign ministry spokesperson publicly stated that China and Europe should bear international responsibilities and jointly maintain the multilateral trading system. The CCP’s recent softening of its wolf warrior stance in European foreign policy is evident.
Sobolik believes that in theory, Trump’s strategy is reasonable: to utilize Washington’s unique position in the global economy to ultimately punish China’s unfair and exploitative trade practices.
The US holds a major trump card. Nearly 20% of China’s GDP relies on exports, with Beijing being the world’s largest exporter. By 2023, approximately 120 million jobs in China – one-fifth of the workforce – belong to the manufacturing sector.
Goldman Sachs estimates that 10 to 20 million Chinese workers are involved in jobs related to exports to the US.
“Xi Jinping’s emphasis on production over consumption means he cannot quickly achieve economic transformation,” Sobolik said.
However, every coin has two sides. Tariffs could harm foreign exporters’ interests and also impact domestic consumers’ interests.
At the same time, the US trade deficit not only stems from overseas cheap manufacturing but also from the position of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Sobolik said that Trump cannot bring back manufacturing to the US in just a few months.
In his view, China faces the threat of soaring unemployment, while the US also needs to prepare for potential price hikes and supply chain disruptions.
President Trump posted on “Truth Social” on Monday, saying: “Since we announced the establishment of ‘Liberation Day’ (April 2), many world leaders and corporate executives have come to me, requesting a reduction in tariffs.”
“Glad to see that the whole world knows we mean business because we do! They must correct the behavior of abusing trade rules for decades, but that won’t be easy for them,” Trump wrote.
Sobolik pointed out, “The trade war is merely a subset of the broader Cold War currently unfolding between the US and China. In these joint conflicts, there is only one winner and no simple choices. Countries caught between the US and China are acutely feeling this tense situation.” He warned.
Award-winning investigative journalist Sam Cooper, who has long tracked Canada-China relations, also suggested, “At this turning point, what Trump needs to do isn’t just using economic strength, although that is necessary: he must also clearly demonstrate to the American people and other countries around the world that the CCP’s economic tentacles pose a survival threat to our lives and core freedoms.”
Some European media have urged against sitting on the fence and instead decisively standing on Trump’s side. A recent comment article from the UK’s The Telegraph stated that maintaining neutrality between the US and China might seem profitable, but the issue lies here – the UK cannot deceive itself anymore and should stand on Trump’s side.
“The UK has a huge market share in the US. It would be meaningless and not worthwhile to risk it for a few dollars earned in China… Perhaps most importantly, the US will eventually emerge victorious. Being on the winning side is always better as that is where the rewards lie,” the article wrote.
The United States is the world’s largest consumer market. The latest data shows that the UK exports £32 billion to China annually, while exports to the US amount to a whopping £182 billion.