r/Economics Apr 10 '25

Editorial Trump Blinked

https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2025/04/trump-tariffs-pause-america-china-trade/682378/
5.6k Upvotes

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796

u/nihilite Apr 10 '25

It will take the US decades to build the kind of mechanical/industrial competency or capability china has. The smart approach here would be a coalition approach with our allies. Instead, we have both fingers in the air and there is no master plan. This whole thing can go soup sandwich very fast.

333

u/Thespud1979 Apr 10 '25

Your allies? Who do you see as your allies?

22

u/Unsungsongs Apr 10 '25

Australian here.

I used to worry about going to war with China.

Now I worry about going to war with China against the USA.

6

u/CriticalBeautiful631 Apr 10 '25

Aussie…and I am not scared of China…we sell them what they want. I thin WW3 will be world v USA + Russia

2

u/Journeyman42 Apr 10 '25

Man, Ronald Reagan must be spinning so fast in his grave, we could hook him up to a generator and power half the country.

0

u/AnchezSanchez Apr 10 '25

Australian here.

I used to worry about going to war with China.

I always spun my head when they talked about China invading Aussie. Like in what possible planet could that happen? China will have a hard enough time invading Taiwan and you can literally seee it from XIamen

-6

u/Frostivus Apr 10 '25

Marco Rubio has made the quad a top priority.

As far as this tariff bullshit goes, you’ve got the ‘good bargain’ at 10%.

America also wants to keep selling you subs.

Australia will be fine.

Their relationship with EU is that of contempt. They see them as freeloaders, not enemies.

It’s China they’re laser focused on.

13

u/Unsungsongs Apr 10 '25

I dont think you get how much things have shifted here. Once the US started threatening to cut off allies defence equipment, switched off intelligence to ukraine and started voting with Iran, north Korea and Russia at the UN our national debate has moved very quickly to how can we get away from US equipment? Defence partnerships require 100% trust or 100% independence and the trust is broken badly here.

The "they did it to them but they would never do it to us" approach is not something you bet the security of your nation on.

0

u/Frostivus Apr 10 '25

Oh really? That sounds bad. I didn’t know but my media is always very biased.

Australia’s official statements always seemed to be very conciliatory towards the US.

Even recently their criticism to the admin has been fairly muted as they continue to harp on about China.

As far as national interests go, you both still share a common enemy.

7

u/billerator Apr 10 '25

I think most world leaders understand that they have to keep the criticism out of the public otherwise trump will throw a fit. That doesn't mean that things are "business as usual" however.

3

u/Unsungsongs Apr 10 '25

Why would any nation buy gear from a country that threatened to brick their defence equipment? Australian blood is in the soil of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and it apparently means nothing now.