Trump Rallies for Tariffs: Promises Tough Stance on China Trade

Former President Donald Trump has signaled that if he retakes the White House, he will use “high tariffs” as a weapon in tough negotiations with China and others, stating, “I firmly believe in tariffs.”

Trump, who is virtually confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with an economy media CNBC on the 11th, “I believe tariffs are very important when we are being exploited economically by other countries,” adding that “beyond the economics, it gives you power in dealing with other countries.”

Trump’s comments that day indicate that “high tariffs” will be a top priority in his economic and foreign policies in his second term. During his presidency, Trump waged a trade war with China, Mexico, the European Union (EU), and others by imposing high tariffs of more than 25% on steel, aluminum, and the like.

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Trump said that day, “China has exploited the U.S. in the steel industry. They have destroyed our already struggling steel industry. When I imposed a 50% tariff on Chinese steel, everyone in the steel industry cried and hugged me.”

He pointed out China’s automotive industry as a sector that the Trump administration will focus on in its second term. Trump said, “China is our boss now. They are the boss of the U.S., and we are like a subsidiary of China.”

As Trump mentioned, the Chinese auto market is rapidly expanding. According to market research firm MarkLines, China produced about 30 million vehicles last year, and production increased by about 50% in January compared to the previous year. Although its influence in the U.S. market is minimal, voices are growing in the U.S. political area that high tariffs should be imposed on Chinese electric cars and the like.

Trump publicly pledged to pressure China to produce more cars in the U.S. through his tariff policy.

He said, “Tariffs on China will bring our companies back to the U.S. If they build factories here, they will employ our people. We don’t want cars from China. We want Chinese cars made by American workers in the U.S.”