The declaration by the United States government to impose sweeping tariffs on a wide array of imported goods, including copper and pharmaceuticals, is neither a rational economic strategy nor a responsible act of governance. Instead, it is a manifestation of deep-seated political desperation and ideological myopia. These tariffs reflect a regressive worldview rooted in economic nationalism, untempered by empirical reasoning or structural foresight. US President Donald Trump’s administration’s invocation of “national security” to justify these measures is not only unconvincing but intellectually dishonest. It is a thinly veiled attempt to mask the chronic inefficiencies of the American industrial system and to deflect attention from its sustained failure to modernize key sectors through genuine innovation.
The core rationale behind these tariffs — namely, to reduce reliance on foreign commodities and repatriate industrial capacity — is inherently flawed. Take the example of the copper tariff: The US possesses substantial domestic copper reserves yet lacks the essential infrastructure to refine and process them at scale. This is not a problem of resource scarcity but one of technological and logistical insufficiency. By taxing imported refined copper instead of investing meaningfully in its processing capabilities, the US merely elevates domestic production costs without resolving foundational weaknesses. It penalizes downstream industries, such as construction, automotive manufacturing, and electronics, all of which are heavily reliant on copper. The result is a cascading economic burden imposed on both American businesses and consumers, which could potentially lead to job losses and decreased competitiveness in the global market. This policy does not rejuvenate the industry. It simply redistributes inefficiency.
For China, this development signals not a threat but a strategic inflexion point. It presents an opportunity to solidify its role as the indispensable hub in the global supply chain of strategic materials. While the US alienates longstanding trade partners through erratic and unilateral decisions, China can deepen bilateral and multilateral relations with key resource-exporting countries that now seek more stable and predictable markets. This includes countries like Chile and Canada, both of which have expressed growing concern about the reliability of the American market. China’s ability to offer consistent demand, infrastructure investment, and diplomatic respect positions it as the preferred economic partner for nations that have grown weary of Washington’s unpredictability. This strategic response not only enhances China’s global influence but also fosters a more stable and predictable global trade environment, benefiting all participating countries.
The pharmaceutical sector provides a parallel example of American policy incoherence. The US remains heavily dependent on Chinese manufacturing for active pharmaceutical ingredients and critical chemical precursors. Imposing tariffs on these imports does not enhance health security. It jeopardizes it. The direct consequence will be increased costs for American healthcare providers and consumers, as well as heightened vulnerability to supply disruptions. For China, the imperative is to continue exporting these essential goods with professionalism and integrity, while simultaneously investing in advanced biomedical research and development. This dual strategy not only reinforces China’s global reputation as a responsible economic actor but also advances its ambition to become a scientific superpower in the health sector.
The Trump administration’s economic policy does not exhibit the characteristics of a coherent national strategy. It is a sequence of impulsive gestures, divorced from institutional planning and bereft of analytical rigor. The contradictions are glaring. The same administration that allocates billions in subsidies to encourage domestic semiconductor production simultaneously inflates input costs through tariffs on materials and equipment essential to chip manufacturing. This is not industrial policy. It is self-inflicted sabotage. For China, the lesson is clear. While the US undermines its technological competitiveness, China must accelerate its efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in high-end manufacturing, including semiconductors, software and advanced machinery. This requires not only capital investment but also institutional reforms that foster innovation through collaboration between academia, State-owned enterprises and private firms.
What the Trump administration’s tariff policy ultimately reveals is not the strength of the US but its decline. It is an admission that the American system, once admired for its dynamism and innovation, can no longer compete on equal terms
The erosion of US credibility in the international economic order is another consequence that China must neither ignore nor underestimate. For decades, the US styled itself as the architect of a global trade system based on openness and predictability. That pretense has now collapsed. By issuing sudden and sweeping tariffs without consultation or transparency, the US has revealed profound contempt for the very norms it once claimed to uphold. This betrayal has not gone unnoticed. Many of its allies now question not only the reliability of US policy but the sincerity of its global leadership. In contrast, China’s commitment to multilateralism, legal certainty and economic diplomacy is unwavering. Through programs such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative, China provides an alternative vision of global development that is inclusive, equitable and grounded in mutual respect, standing in stark contrast to the US’ unilateral and unpredictable actions.
At a deeper level, these tariffs expose a moral and intellectual bankruptcy. The use of economic coercion as a substitute for strategic planning reflects a nation in retreat, clinging to outdated models of dominance rather than adapting to the realities of a multipolar world. It is not China that fears competition. It is the US that fears irrelevance. That fear has led it to adopt policies that are not only economically unsound but also politically reckless. By threatening allies, destabilizing markets, and eroding institutional trust, the US is diminishing its influence while inadvertently accelerating the very global shifts it seeks to resist.
China’s response must be one of composed determination. This is not a crisis to be feared but a challenge to be mastered. The path forward lies in expanding domestic capacity, fortifying technological independence, and cultivating strategic alliances with countries that share a commitment to stability and cooperation. This is not a reactive posture. It is a proactive vision grounded in clarity of purpose and confidence in national strength. While the US sows uncertainty, China must remain the anchor of global economic balance.
What the Trump administration’s tariff policy ultimately reveals is not the strength of the US but its decline. It is an admission that the American system, once admired for its dynamism and innovation, can no longer compete on equal terms. It chooses confrontation over collaboration, coercion over competence. For China, the message is unequivocal. The future will be shaped by those who build with discipline, govern with foresight, and engage the world with mutual respect. That future belongs not to the nation that isolates itself through fear, but to the one that leads through wisdom and resolve.
The author is a solicitor, a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyer, and a China-appointed attesting officer.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
