Trump's Trade War with China Hurts Everyone Involved

美对华贸易战给各方带来无妄之灾

Hong Lei, consul general, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, Chicago

中华人民共和国驻芝加哥总领事 洪磊

The trade war initiated by the U.S. government on China, which now includes the possibility of tariffs on all $500 billion worth of goods the U.S. imports from China, hurts everyone involved. The collateral damage of these unilateral protectionist moves includes China, the United States and the world economy. What the U.S. has done jeopardizes China's interests. But it also brings unexpected harm to the global supply chain, undermines free trade, and places great uncertainty on the world economy.

美国政府发动对华贸易战，并威胁对5000亿美元中国进口商品加征关税的单边保护主义做法伤害中国和世界，也伤害美国。美方做法损害中国的利益，也打击全球产业链和价值链，破坏世界自由贸易体系，给世界经济带来巨大不确定性和破坏。

On July 6, the U.S. government levied high tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese imports. Around $20 billion of items on the list are products made by foreign companies operating in China, including many by U.S. companies. The announcement of possible 10 percent tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese goods would further increase the cost of production for U.S. companies, make consumer products more expensive and bring detrimental results to U.S. manufacturers and consumers.

7月6日，美国政府对中国首批价值340亿美元的输美商品加征关税。美方公布的征税产品清单中，占比约59%、价值近200亿的产品是在华外资企业生产的产品，其中美国企业占有相当比例。7月11日，美政府宣布再对价值2000亿美元的中国出口产品征收10％关税。此举将增加美国企业生产成本，推高产品价格，损害美制造业者和消费者利益。

The present U.S. trade deficit with China does not mean the U.S. is suffering a loss. Huge imports from China help keep the U.S. inflation rate relatively low by providing inexpensive high-quality products. On the other hand, the U.S. has a surplus in services trade with China, which reached $55.7 billion in 2016. As a strategic market, China is a place where American companies profit greatly. U.S. companies operating in China sell a great amount of their products to the Chinese market with a total value of $600 billion.

中美货物贸易不平衡，美方有一些逆差，并不表明美方吃了亏。从中国大量进口帮助美国保持了较低的通胀率，美享受了来自中国的价廉物美的产品。另外，美对华服务贸易过去10年增长300%，2016年对华顺差达到557亿美元。不少美国企业把中国作为重要战略市场，获得巨大利益。美国企业在华生产的大量产品在中国市场销售，总额达到每年6000亿美元。

But the trade war forces China to safeguard its interests, the dignity of its people and the world's multilateral free-trade system. That is why China must fight back with reciprocal tariffs on U.S. products and with a complaint against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization.

美方一手挑起了中美贸易冲突，中方坚决反对这种单边贸易保护主义做法。中方本不愿打贸易战，但为了维护国家和人民的利益和尊严，维护世界多边自由贸易体制，不得不对美方做法进行还击，对原产于美国的部分进口商品加征关税措施，并向世贸组织提出起诉。

Common interests between China and the U.S. far outweigh the differences. China's long-lasting mutual beneficial relations with Chicago, Illinois and other Midwestern states have brought tremendous benefits to both sides. But the U.S. trade moves are causing severe uncertainty and could cause unexpected harm. China hopes that the U.S. government will walk away from unilateral protectionism and resume a reasonable and pragmatic approach to China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation.

事实证明，中美共同利益远远大于分歧。中国与芝加哥市、伊利诺伊州及美中西部各州长期保持互利共赢合作关系，为双方人民带来实实在在的利益。美政府做法给中美关系带来极大不确定性。希望美国政府摒弃单边保护主义做法，回到理性务实的对华经贸合作立场上来，不要给中美经贸关系带来无妄之灾。