US trade war with China, far from waning

Beijing. In 12 months, the United States trade deficit with China exceeded $30 billion, a disparity that has added to the electoral discourse facing this Tuesday in the elections for the White House.

The Chinese government has already commented that, regardless of who wins, it will seek to maintain respectful relations. However, neither in Kamala Harris’ nor in Donald Trump‘s agenda has there been any talk of a smooth solution to the growing tensions with the Asian power.

This struggle will continue regardless of who wins the elections, considered María Cristina Rosas, collaborator of the University Program of Studies on Asia and Africa at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Although it was former President Donald Trump who declared a trade war on Beijing, the Democrats have continued with the policy of greater sanctions, he explained.

According to the academic, as far as relations with China are concerned, there is not much difference between the presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden and the trade war would extend to an eventual administration of Kamala Harris. However, if the Republican wins, most likely to intensify the conflict, Rosas highlighted.

Bilateral tensions began in the commercial sphere, but have expanded to other aspects, such as Washington’s supply of weapons to Taiwan, as well as cross accusations of espionage.

During the Trump administration, the United States imposed tariffs on $370 billion on Chinese imports and Huawei was the main face of a technological war. By January 2020, an agreement was reached to partially reduce tariffs and in November of last year the president of China, Xi Jinping, met with his American counterpart, Joe Biden, but the increase in tariffs and restrictions on access to technologies persist. reviews.

Tariffs and trade blockades resulted in a 26.9 percent reduction in the US trade deficit with China, going from $382.3 billion in 2022 to $279.42 billion last year. However, it is far from disappearing.

Annual exports from the United States to China are concentrated in soybeans, packaged medicines and oil, while electric batteries, video games and cars are purchased from the Asian country, according to the Economic Complexity Observatory.

Mexico has benefited greatly from US trade sanctions against Chinato the extent that, driven by the North American trade agreement (T-MEC), it has become the main exporter to its northern neighbor, explained María Cristina Rosas. However, Donald Trump has warned of economic sanctions on armed Chinese cars in Mexico.

If Mexico maintains Chinese investments in the automotive sector, we could experience very strong tensions with the United States, which could even request that the dispute resolution mechanism be activated, such as those we already have on the issue of GMOs and energy.the researcher explained.