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On Wednesday, the US implemented higher tariffs on nearly 60 trade partners, including a 104 percent tariff on goods from China. This is undoubtedly a serious provocation to the world trade system and a direct blow to the stability of global industrial supply chains. In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the Chinese people's legitimate right to development cannot be deprived, and China's sovereignty, security and development interests are inviolable. On the same day, the Chinese government released the white paper, "China's Position on Some Issues Concerning China-US Economic, Trade Relations." The document points out that the rise of unilateralism and protectionism in the US has significantly impeded the course of normal economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. It criticizes the US for imposing trade restrictions, such as tariffs, under the banner of "America First." The US policy of unilateralism is not only a blatant infringement on the development rights of other nations but also a selfish and short-sighted approach that will ultimately backfire.
Development is a common pursuit of humanity and a fundamental right recognized by the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All countries and peoples should have equal rights to improve their economic and social conditions and raise the standard of living, with no hierarchy of priority. As the world's largest economy, the US has long benefited from the trade rules, yet when faced with its own structural economic issues, it chooses to shift the burden onto other countries. This is extremely selfish and irresponsible. The logic behind "America First" is rooted in unilateralism and power politics, attempting to reshape the rules of globalization through tariffs, technology blocks, and industrial decoupling. In essence, it is a crude violation and systematic deprivation of the universal development rights of all nations.
The most-favored-nation principle and bound tariffs commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) are cornerstones of the multilateral trading system that was initially led and shaped by the US. They also serve as crucial institutional safeguards for developing countries to achieve fair development rights. Multiple assessments have found that tariffs have dealt particularly heavy blows to developing countries, especially many of the least developed nations. Ensuring the stability and strong resilience of the supply chain is a necessary condition for the economic development of many countries, and foreign trade is an important way for a country to integrate into the process of globalization. However, the US is now preemptively setting up "gates" and "toll booths" along this path, even attempting to monopolize and manipulate other countries' development rights. This represents not only a regression in history, but also a betrayal of humanity's shared values.
The US unilateralism actions have already provoked widespread international countermeasures. Facing the unreasonable "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the US, China firmly retaliates. It announced the additional tariffs on products imported from the US to 84 percent, effective from 12:01 pm Thursday, fulfilling its promise to "continue to the end" and demonstrating its commitment to defending the multilateral trade system. On Wednesday, a majority of the EU's 27 member states voted in favor of the counter-tariffs of 25 percent to hit around 21 billion euros ($23.2 billion) of US goods in retaliation for the duties imposed by the US last month on EU's steel and aluminum exports. Canada also declared its retaliatory 25 percent tariffs on vehicles imported from the US starting Wednesday. It is evident that even traditional allies are unwilling to foot the bill for "America First." This growing divergence reveals a hard truth: An "America First" approach that undermines globalization won't gain broad recognition and support from the international community. It will only lead to deeper isolation for the US, and the decline of its international credibility and moral standing will be inevitable.
Washington fantasizes about reshaping the global economic landscape through enacting tariff barriers, yet it underestimates its own dependence on global supply chains and the resilience of other countries' economies. Ironically, the "America First" policy has primarily undermined the development rights of the American people. High tariff policies have led to increased costs for US imported raw materials, which not only fail to revitalize the manufacturing sector but also result in shrinking profits or even large-scale bankruptcy for small and medium-sized enterprises. A study by the US-China Business Council finds that in the three years following 2018, the US lost approximately 245,000 jobs due to the trade war. "America First" cannot take away the development rights of other countries; it can only become synonymous with "self-inflicted consequences."
What we need in today's world is justice, not hegemony. Justice means respecting the development rights of all countries and resolving differences through dialogue within the framework of the WTO. The US, under the guise of "reciprocity," is actually implementing an "America First" policy, which not only cannot deprive other countries of their development rights but also exposes the shortsightedness of unilateralism and highlights the necessity of global cooperation. By cooperating to counter the "America First" policy, which goes against the historical trend, as well as firmly opposing various unilateral actions that challenge international consensus, the international community can better uphold the fair development rights of all countries and truly achieve shared prosperity. - Global Times editorial
Development is a common pursuit of humanity and a fundamental right recognized by the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All countries and peoples should have equal rights to improve their economic and social conditions and raise the standard of living, with no hierarchy of priority. As the world's largest economy, the US has long benefited from the trade rules, yet when faced with its own structural economic issues, it chooses to shift the burden onto other countries. This is extremely selfish and irresponsible. The logic behind "America First" is rooted in unilateralism and power politics, attempting to reshape the rules of globalization through tariffs, technology blocks, and industrial decoupling. In essence, it is a crude violation and systematic deprivation of the universal development rights of all nations.
The most-favored-nation principle and bound tariffs commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) are cornerstones of the multilateral trading system that was initially led and shaped by the US. They also serve as crucial institutional safeguards for developing countries to achieve fair development rights. Multiple assessments have found that tariffs have dealt particularly heavy blows to developing countries, especially many of the least developed nations. Ensuring the stability and strong resilience of the supply chain is a necessary condition for the economic development of many countries, and foreign trade is an important way for a country to integrate into the process of globalization. However, the US is now preemptively setting up "gates" and "toll booths" along this path, even attempting to monopolize and manipulate other countries' development rights. This represents not only a regression in history, but also a betrayal of humanity's shared values.
The US unilateralism actions have already provoked widespread international countermeasures. Facing the unreasonable "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the US, China firmly retaliates. It announced the additional tariffs on products imported from the US to 84 percent, effective from 12:01 pm Thursday, fulfilling its promise to "continue to the end" and demonstrating its commitment to defending the multilateral trade system. On Wednesday, a majority of the EU's 27 member states voted in favor of the counter-tariffs of 25 percent to hit around 21 billion euros ($23.2 billion) of US goods in retaliation for the duties imposed by the US last month on EU's steel and aluminum exports. Canada also declared its retaliatory 25 percent tariffs on vehicles imported from the US starting Wednesday. It is evident that even traditional allies are unwilling to foot the bill for "America First." This growing divergence reveals a hard truth: An "America First" approach that undermines globalization won't gain broad recognition and support from the international community. It will only lead to deeper isolation for the US, and the decline of its international credibility and moral standing will be inevitable.
Washington fantasizes about reshaping the global economic landscape through enacting tariff barriers, yet it underestimates its own dependence on global supply chains and the resilience of other countries' economies. Ironically, the "America First" policy has primarily undermined the development rights of the American people. High tariff policies have led to increased costs for US imported raw materials, which not only fail to revitalize the manufacturing sector but also result in shrinking profits or even large-scale bankruptcy for small and medium-sized enterprises. A study by the US-China Business Council finds that in the three years following 2018, the US lost approximately 245,000 jobs due to the trade war. "America First" cannot take away the development rights of other countries; it can only become synonymous with "self-inflicted consequences."
What we need in today's world is justice, not hegemony. Justice means respecting the development rights of all countries and resolving differences through dialogue within the framework of the WTO. The US, under the guise of "reciprocity," is actually implementing an "America First" policy, which not only cannot deprive other countries of their development rights but also exposes the shortsightedness of unilateralism and highlights the necessity of global cooperation. By cooperating to counter the "America First" policy, which goes against the historical trend, as well as firmly opposing various unilateral actions that challenge international consensus, the international community can better uphold the fair development rights of all countries and truly achieve shared prosperity. - Global Times editorial
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