After finally talking with China, Trump canceled all but 10% of the reciprocal tariffs, and China canceled all but 10% of their retaliatory tariffs, and…
And that’s it. And the parties “will establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations.”
So once again, all that bluster was for nothing. How does Trump expect any world leader to take him seriously?
Trump is easy to figure out. He has no real plan. His plan is to create constant chaos. This way he can distract from the fact that nothing gets done. China played him like England did. He acts like he won. This is what you get.
Yea- but that’s not the complete story is it?
There’s a 90 day “cooling off” period in order to have trade discussions.
Trump has always done this. It was his way of bringing a party into a negotiation. He’s building urgency and leverage.
Now, in 90 days, if absolutely nothing changes you’ll be proven right.
BUT if they make a deal OR if they raise tariffs again due to butting heads, then you’ll be wrong.
So you kind of took a victory lap a little too early.
Sure he is
There’s no victory lap because absolutely nobody won here.
You’re saying Trump did crazy shit just to enter negotiations? Do you realize he could have entered negotiations any time he wanted? He’s the president of the United States! He didn’t need to talk big and then back down just to start trade talks.
But you seem to be gloating someone lost???
I’m complaining that Trump is making a mess of things for no reason whatsoever.
From the beginning, China said “We are open to discussing trade but we believe talks should come from a place of mutual respect.”
Trump said, “You owe us and I’m gonna put this big tariff on you. Don’t retaliate.”
China retaliated in kind.
Trump said, “You’re not being respectful. Here’s another tariff.”
China retaliated in kind.
It happened again.
Finally, a couple weeks after the tariffs go into effect, Trump and China agree to go back to the beginning. And now we will begin discussions.
Great, so Trump finally met China where China said so from the start?
I don’t see how any of this makes the US look stronger.
Keep in mind I’m not necessarily against tariffs, or Trump trying to renegotiate trade deals, etc. But I am against being a dumbass about it.
Trump is about art of the deal. Trump is a con man. There is a reason why banks in this country were no longer loaning him money. Trump bullies people. Good luck doing that to china. They could wipe out our entire economy in one swoop.
You just did one above. For yourself.
Correct- what other reason/tactic, outside of military force, could we have used to bring countries to the negotiating table?
I’m all ears…. Do tell.
Not really. Looks like he’s an observer, not a participant. If you disagree, please explain how he’s a party to either side.
Disregarding your previous deals and throwing them off the table a few years after signing doesn’t inspire anyone to do anything but move their eyes to elsewhere, like China. It does help them, though, that Trump fails in every single negotiation and ends up on the losing side of the deal. By acting like Trump, Trump gave away the world to China.
Why would you take them for their word?
You need what’s called a “thumbscrew”
There has to be a penalty to encourage good faith. Especially with China.
Why would you take Trump’s word?
China has been an overwhelmingly more reliable partner than the Trump administration. There can be zero good faith with the Trump administration, of any kind. That’s why the world is flocking to them and not Trump.
Is this a serious question?
The answer starts with D and ends with IPLOMACY.
You don’t take them at their word. You negotiate with them. And you can use all the thumbscrews you want, IN THE NEGOTIATION. There’s no reason to blow your load early, and then take it back. Trump looks a lot less serious now. Some might say he looks powerless. All the billionaires have complained and forced him to walk back already. Everybody knows he’s not going to do it again.
Exactly!!!
Diplomacy can mean 1000 things. Can you be more specific?
Trump has them at the table. Did Biden or Obama ever?
Yeah. .S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT):, Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
From Reagan to Obama, there was never an unnecessary trade war.
What was the outcome?
Today’s environment where they cheat and steal everything?
What a joke lol.
It is necessary.
We can’t supply/source our own war materials. We rely on China, an enemy for that. Do you understand that?
China supplies everyone. Did you know that?