China-US trade war is a 'war'

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Editor's note: Kong Qingjiang is the dean of the School of International Law at the China University of Political Science and Law. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Donald Trump seems to be steadfast going down the dark road of a trade war. The US Trade Representative has just announced to impose 10 percent of tariffs on an additional 200 billion US dollars of Chinese goods.

The trade relations between China and the US has been poisoned after the US levied a 25 percent of tariffs on up to 50 billion US dollars of Chinese goods on July 6, 2018.

The new punitive duty of such a scale, when imposed, is expected to hinder the trade flows between the two countries. The financial market has reportedly reacted to hedge against the gigantic risks arising from there.

VCG Photo

Apparently, the businessmen-turned-president has been attempting to coerce a huge concession from China since he announced his threatened punitive tariff months ago. This time his brinksmanship has pushed events to the brink.

With the imminent unprecedented tariffs, the economy of the country is at risk. With the trade war of such an unprecedented scale, the world peace is at stake.

All the resources are to be mobilized to stop the war when needed. Diplomatic resources shall first be fully exploited. China should not only use the WTO as the forum to challenge the scrupulous and heinous breach of international trade agreements on the US side but resort to the Security Council of the United Nations for urgent consultation.

The US trade war against China is not limited to trade. The political hostility of the Trump Administration towards China is palpable.

The trade war will have a devastating impact on millions of ordinary Chinese people, as well as the livelihood of millions of people in other countries involved in the stream of commerce, and constitutes a threat to the world peace.

Given its unprecedentedly huge impact, the trade war should be deemed to be a real war waged in the name of defending the fair trade. On the ground of maintaining peace and security of the world, any country affected may bring the trade war to the attention to the Security Council which under the UN Charter has the primary responsibility in this regard.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it is also the responsibility for China and other permanent member states to bring the matter before the Security Council.

Of course, it is almost for sure that the Trump Administration will attempt to block such a matter being discussed in the Security Council by using its veto power.

Nevertheless, referring the trade war to the Security Council itself conveys a message of the intolerance of the Chinese government to the apparent threat to the world peace and the determination of Chinese people to fight back this special war.

Also, the mere fact that the US hegemony is again to be exposed to the rest of the world will become a catalyst to the unity of the international trade community.

The Chinese nation is at a critical time. Act now! The world peace is in jeopardy. The international trade community should unite to act.