Trump's Trade Hostility Pushes Countries Towards China
The president pitches his followers a vision of deglobalization, but what he's causing is de-Americanization
For tariffs and undermining America’s alliances, Trump and right-wing media’s pitch to their followers is nationalistic. With promises to reverse globalization and restore a mythologized past, they sell a vision of booming domestic manufacturing and repatriated jobs prompting a reflowering of masculinity, calling it “America First.” But that’s just a marketing slogan. The impact of Trump’s hostility to the world isn’t deglobalization; it’s de-Americanization.
International integration will continue, with or without the U.S. The primary causes of globalization are technological (transportation, information) and geopolitical (the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaving no major power opposed), not “globalist” rather than “nationalist” choices by American presidents. Even if Trump’s protectionist policies lead to more American companies’ building factories in the U.S. — already a big if, as he creates economic uncertainty and cuts them off from foreign customers — it won’t stop other countries from seeking prosperity in free trade and security in alliances. Trump might not believe in mutually beneficial cooperation, but others recognize the advantages. The world will move on without us, spurred by Trump’s hostility to deepen friendly relationships and give others a second look. Indeed, it’s already happening.
An illustrative example is Vietnam, with a developing economy that’s similar in size to Norway and Denmark but growing faster. In the 21st century, Vietnam has been one of the most pro-American countries in the world, in part because of concern about China. Nevertheless, the Trump administration slapped Vietnam with a 46% tariff, falsely calling it “reciprocal.” When Vietnam offered to take its already low tariffs with the U.S. to 0%, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro dismissed it with “that means nothing to us,” accusing Vietnam of “non-tariff cheating.” This week, Vietnam signed cooperation agreements with China, including on production and supply chains.
Trump’s tariffs won’t get Vietnam to trade less. It just won’t trade as much with the U.S. Globalization isn’t stopping — its locus is shifting, and in a way that harms U.S. interests.
The president and his defenders claim…
Read the full article for free at MSNBC.com:
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-global-trade-china-america-first-rcna201647