Trump faces significant setbacks in trade dispute with China

In fact, as time goes by, Trump's image of an arrogant, strong and imposing imperial leader is being shattered by the seemingly harmless and cunning style of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

With each meeting between the two leaders, it becomes clearer that China is a rising economic and imperial power and the United States a declining one. The famous 100% tariffs on Chinese products, unilaterally imposed by Trump on the famous day of freedom against China, have been reduced to 10% by mutual agreement. However, China's slap in the face to the United States with restrictions on rare earth exports has been suspended for a year. In other words, Trump went for wool and came out shorn by China's power.

The meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in South Korea was attended by representatives of this association: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, South Korea, the United States, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Taipei and Vietnam. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed working together to create the golden years of Asia-Pacific development in the coming years.

This proposal is in line with the recent recommendations adopted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the formulation of the Asian giant's 15th Five-Year Economic Development Plan. As is well known, Asia-Pacific accounts for one-third of the world's population, more than 60% of the global economy and nearly half of world trade.

At the fourth plenary session of the CPC Central Committee, recommendations for the economic and social development plan for the next five years were approved. At that plenary session, Xi Jinping pointed out that "for more than seven decades, we have worked generation after generation on the same plan to make it a reality. We have no intention of challenging or supplanting anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's internal affairs well, improving ourselves and sharing development opportunities with all countries around the world."

He described this as the great secret of the Chinese miracle's success. Through this plan, China will deepen comprehensive reforms that will expand the opening up of higher-quality economic growth. In addition, policies will be implemented to increase economic output, comprehensive human development and the prosperity of Chinese society. For Xi Jinping, trade relations must remain the pillar and driving force of China-US relations, not an obstacle, and APEC should not be a point of friction, but a point for cooperation and mutual assistance in global development. In his view, ‘dialogue is better than confrontation, China and the US must maintain communication through various channels and at different levels to strengthen mutual understanding’.

For the Chinese leader, ‘the relevant departments must strengthen dialogue and exchanges and carry out mutually beneficial cooperation.’ He explains that currently ‘the world faces many complex problems’ and ‘China and the United States can jointly assume their responsibility as world powers and work together to achieve concrete progress for the benefit of our two countries and the world.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, following this script at the meeting with President Trump in South Korea, said: ‘China and the United States should be partners and friends. That is what history has taught us and what reality demands.’ He added that, given the different national circumstances, it is normal for the world's two leading economies to experience occasional friction. He therefore told the US president: ‘You and I are in charge of China-US relations.’ He explained that ‘in the face of adversity and challenges, we must stay the course, navigate this complex landscape and ensure the steady progress of bilateral relations.’ He affirmed that China's economic development is enjoying good momentum, noting that in the first three quarters of this year, the Chinese economy grew by 5.2%, while import and export trade in goods with the rest of the world expanded by 4%.

Finally, he pointed out that ‘this is no easy achievement, given the internal and external difficulties,’ adding that the Chinese economy is like a vast ocean: large, resilient and promising. Therefore, ‘we have the confidence and ability to face all kinds of risks and challenges.’ In conclusion, Trump, with his imperial arrogance as an all-powerful man, is losing the trade war with China.

X @j15mosquera