Trump can win against China – in Ukraine
Forcing Russia to withdraw would yield a clearer win for the US than tariffs on Chinese imports
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[WASHINGTON, DC / KYIV] US president-elect Donald Trump is determined to confront China economically and strategically. This is a difficult problem, because so many goods purchased in the US have supply chains with deep roots in the Chinese manufacturing base.
If new US tariffs cause the Chinese renminbi to depreciate, as seems likely, Chinese products will remain competitive, at least in the short run; and if the cost of Chinese imported goods in the US actually rises, this will squeeze lower-income Americans and undermine the competitiveness of American manufacturers that currently use imported components. The proposed tariffs and associated bluster may induce global companies to shift manufacturing from China to Vietnam, Mexico, and other lower-wage countries, but will not bring many good jobs back to the US.
But Trump could score a quick and impressive win against China: by turning Russia entirely out of Ukraine and restoring the pre-invasion borders.
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