Washington: The administration of former President Donald Trump is preparing to encourage countries to reduce their trade with China as part of negotiations regarding U.S. tariffs, according to a report from The Japan Times.
The U.S. plans to request that other nations implement measures to limit China’s manufacturing capabilities to prevent Beijing from circumventing Trump’s tariffs. Trump’s chief economic advisors are considering a proposal to urge officials from allied countries to impose what are known as secondary tariffs—monetary penalties on imports from nations that maintain close ties with China. Additionally, the U.S. wants to encourage trading partners to refrain from taking on excess goods from China, as reported by other sources cited by The Japan Times.
This initiative aims to rally traditional allies to surround China and increase pressure on Beijing to change its economic practices. China has long faced criticism from Trump and previous U.S. administrations due to its trade surplus, alleged intellectual property theft, and government subsidies that the U.S. claims undermine competition against American firms. Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro stated that China utilizes Vietnam to ship products as a means of evading tariffs, referring to Vietnam as “a colony of communist China.” Recent discussions between the European Union and the U.S. showed little progress in resolving trade disputes, with Trump’s advisors indicating that most of the 20% tariffs imposed on the EU are likely to remain. Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned the EU against leaning towards China amid the economic instability caused by Trump’s tariffs and specifically criticized the Spanish government’s support of that strategy, saying it would be “cutting your own throat.” In response, Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo dismissed that characterization, highlighting the importance of Europe maintaining relationships with all major global powers and describing China as a “strategic partner” for the EU.
