CNN anchor Fareed Zakaria warns U.S.-China tensions after tariff policy could 'make U.S. poorer'

CNN anchor and foreign affairs columnist Fareed Zakaria warned in a recent op-ed for Washington Post that tensions between the world's two largest economies – prompted by the tariff policy of the Trump administration – could hurt both. 

"Decoupling of the two economies would make the U.S. poorer," Zakaria wrote, listing an estimate of 1.4 percent lower of U.S.' gross domestic product (GDP), as he cited the forecasting and analysis firm Oxford Economics, and also potential second-order effects including inflation, productivity losses and opportunity costs.

"That's hundreds of billions of dollars of wealth lost annually."

According to Zakaria, limitations to Chinese technological development – including high-end chip imports – could "spur" China to develop even faster. 

"Have Washington's expensive and cumbersome bans on technology only spurred China to innovate and become a fast follower, and could it end up in a better place than if these bans had never been enacted in the first place," the CNN anchor questioned.

"It's an uncomfortable question, but it must be asked."

(Cover: Shipping containers are loaded onto trucks at CSX Intermodal Terminals in Ohio, United States, May 7, 2025.)