Why it's necessary to join hands to counter U.S. tariff bullying

Editor's note: Pang Xinhua is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

After China announced a 34 percent tariff on all imports from the United States, the Trump administration threatened to impose an additional 50 percent tariff on Chinese goods on April 7. This move by the U.S. continues the unilateral logic of "America First," using national security as a cover to weaponize trade and essentially constitutes a crude intervention in the global industrial chain. The U.S.'s frequent manipulation of tariff actions constitutes systematic economic coercion and unilateral bullying.

This behavior of substituting power for rules reveals the imperialist nature of the U.S. in the economic field – when its own competitiveness relatively declines, it forcibly reshapes the trade landscape through political means. As Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said, "The United States is shifting from the greatest advocate of free trade to the most dangerous destroyer." The IMF has warned that such unilateral actions could lead to the disruption of global supply chains and a 7 percent contraction in global trade volume.

In the face of the U.S.'s unilateral actions, the international community has expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU will counter the U.S. tariff policy. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also criticized the U.S.'s unilateralism and called for resolving trade disputes through multilateral mechanisms.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the U.S. move undermines the global trade system and will take corresponding measures in response. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo also said that if the U.S. imposes tariffs on Mexico, Mexico will take retaliatory measures.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that "unilateral actions are dismembering the multilateral trading system." Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala made a rare emergency statement, pointing out that the U.S. tariff measures "clearly violate the most-favored-nation treatment principle" and will lead to a "systemic collapse" of the global trade rules system.

In response to the U.S.'s tariff bullying, some countries and organizations have already taken actions. China's announcement of a series of countermeasures on April 4 reflects China's firm determination to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and the international fair trade order, and also send a clear signal to the world that China firmly opposes unilateralism and trade bullying.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the Canadian government will impose a 25 percent tariff on all U.S.-imported cars not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. According to the latest news on April 7, Von der Leyen said that the EU plans to impose additional tariffs on U.S. goods worth up to $28 billion.

According to a CGTN poll, the international community overwhelmingly supports collective action against U.S. unilateral tariff practices. A striking 87.7 percent of respondents believe that no country can remain unaffected by such economic bullying and that unity is essential. Meanwhile, 93.5 percent agree that building a fair and mutually beneficial international trade order is the prudent path forward.

In terms of specific responses, the poll highlights several key strategies. First, 86.9 percent support stronger international cooperation to safeguard legitimate interests through multilateral frameworks. Second, 82.2 percent call for a more active role by platforms such as the WTO in mediating trade disputes and countering unilateralism. Third, 79.6 percent favor filing cases with the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body to legally defend national interests.

Regional collaboration such as China-Japan-Korea and China-EU is also seen as crucial. It is expected to play a bigger role in resisting U.S. protectionist moves. Finally, respondents caution against the U.S.'s divide-and-conquer tactics, such as pressuring countries like Vietnam and Mexico to impose tariffs on China in return for preferential treatment. Such strategies, if left unchecked, risk isolating targets and weakening global resistance.

In the face of U.S. bullying, a policy of appeasement is not feasible. In 1938, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy signed the Munich Agreement, intending to stop Fascist aggression through compromise and concession. However, this actually accelerated the outbreak of World War II. The lesson of history is not far away. As Churchill said, "The crocodile fed by the policy of appeasement will one day turn and bite its feeder."

History has repeatedly proven that fairness and justice can only be obtained through struggle. When the U.S. waves the tariff stick, the international community must unite and jointly counter it to safeguard world fairness and justice, as well as the stability of the global economy and the common welfare of humanity. This is the answer concluded from history and the choice of civilization.

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