US Trade Wars (15 June 2018 – present)

[GoranZ]

This is how trade wars escalate: Trump hasn't even officially announced the steel and aluminum import tariffs, expected to be formally unveiled this coming week, and the rhetoric is already one of World Trade War I doom and gloom.

Hours after Trump tweeted on Friday morning that “trade wars are good, and easy to win,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the bloc is prepared to respond quickly and forcefully by targeting imports of Harley-Davidson motorbikes, Levi Strauss & Co. jeans and bourbon whiskey from the U.S.

According to some, the preliminary EU retaliation was targeted in a way that would maximize political pressure on American leaders: Harley-Davidson is based in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin, while bourbon whiskey hails from the state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. San Francisco-based Levi Strauss is headquartered in House Minority Leader’s Nancy Pelosi’s district.

As Bloomberg noted, Juncker’s threat heightened the prospects of a global free-for-all, as the World Trade Organization said the potential of escalating tensions “is real” and the International Monetary Fund warned the restrictions would likely damage the U.S. and global economy. It also prompted speculation that in light of the widespread condemnation by US trading partners and allies, that Trump might step back and reconsider the sanctions. This in turn led to a late-day burst in the stock market.

That however appears unlikely: first, in a tweet Friday morning, Trump doubled-down and warned of more trade actions ahead, casting them as reciprocal taxes, a term he has used for imposing levies on imports from countries that charge higher duties on U.S. goods than the U.S. currently charges.

“We will soon be starting RECIPROCAL TAXES so that we will charge the same thing as they charge us. $800 Billion Trade Deficit-have no choice!” Trump said in the tweet.

Trump Threatens Europe: "We Will Tax Your Cars"

Trade Wars bring no good to anyone. Its not just the Europeans that will impose reciprocal taxes, Chinese will join in and the list will not stop there.
I presume this is the sunset for the US Empire.

[waauw]

Putin really knew what he was doing when he supported Trump.

[GoranZ]

Putin really knew what he was doing when he supported Trump.

yeah, like in endless game of chess. Although with limited resources somehow he is still managing to get max of the situation.

The twist: Trump Tariffs Are a Gift for OPEC and Russia. Not Shale: Gadfly

[saxitoxin]

Well the U.S. doesn't really export anything except porn and wheat so - while other countries could reciprocate against U.S. tariffs - at the end of the day the U.S. can pretty much out-tariff anyone.

Now that Germany has managed to cobble together the most fragile government since Humpty Dumpty was made president of the Republic of Glass, they're not really in a position to take a 15% tariff on BMW, Mercedes, and VW exports to the world's biggest automobile importer without guaranteeing a recession that the AfD will use to push the SDP out of second place in the next Bundestag election.

[notyou2]

Well the U.S. doesn't really export anything except porn and wheat so - while other countries could reciprocate against U.S. tariffs - at the end of the day the U.S. can pretty much out-tariff anyone.

Now that Germany has managed to cobble together the most fragile government since Humpty Dumpty was made president of the Republic of Glass, they're not really in a position to take a 15% tariff on BMW, Mercedes, and VW exports to the world's biggest automobile importer without guaranteeing a recession that the AfD will use to push the SDP out of second place in the next Bundestag election.

You export arms, war, instability and veneral disease.

[saxitoxin]

You export arms, war, instability and veneral disease.

Just to clarify, you're talking about me, not the U.S., right?

Guilty as charged.

[Bernie Sanders]

Putin really knew what he was doing when he supported Trump.

yeah, like in endless game of chess. Although with limited resources somehow he is still managing to get max of the situation.

The twist: Trump Tariffs Are a Gift for OPEC and Russia. Not Shale: Gadfly

Pee-pee tapes is turning Trump into the first traitorous President ever. Putin loves seeing Trump on his knees.

[mrswdk]

Once again it falls to China to step up and protect the world from America.

The Belt and Road initiative is an immensely ambitious development campaign through which China wants to boost trade and stimulate economic growth across Asia and beyond. It hopes to do so by building massive amounts of infrastructure connecting it to countries around the globe. By some estimates, China plans to pump $150bn into such projects each year. In a report released at the start of this year, ratings agency Fitch said an extraordinary $900bn in projects were planned or underway.

There are plans for pipelines and a port in Pakistan, bridges in Bangladesh and railways to Russia - all with the aim of creating what China calls a “modern Silk Road” trading route that Beijing believes will kick start “a new era of globalisation”.

According to the global consultancy McKinsey, the plan has the potential to massively overshadow the US’ post-war Marshall reconstruction plan, involving about 65% of the world’s population, one-third of its GDP and helping to move about a quarter of all its goods and services. Some describe Xi’s scheme as the biggest development push in history.

[GoranZ]

Putin loves seeing Trump on his knees.

Any US president will do

Once again it falls to China to step up and protect the world from America.

The Belt and Road initiative is an immensely ambitious development campaign through which China wants to boost trade and stimulate economic growth across Asia and beyond. It hopes to do so by building massive amounts of infrastructure connecting it to countries around the globe. By some estimates, China plans to pump $150bn into such projects each year. In a report released at the start of this year, ratings agency Fitch said an extraordinary $900bn in projects were planned or underway.

There are plans for pipelines and a port in Pakistan, bridges in Bangladesh and railways to Russia - all with the aim of creating what China calls a “modern Silk Road” trading route that Beijing believes will kick start “a new era of globalisation”.

According to the global consultancy McKinsey, the plan has the potential to massively overshadow the US’ post-war Marshall reconstruction plan, involving about 65% of the world’s population, one-third of its GDP and helping to move about a quarter of all its goods and services. Some describe Xi’s scheme as the biggest development push in history.

You forget the Arctic part of the Silk Road. In my eyes it will be the most used from all others

The old silk road was huge achievement also, but it was replaced in 1500's with the Atlantic sea route. 500 years later it seems like the original Silk Road is rising from the ashes.

[notyou2]

Once again it falls to China to step up and protect the world from America.

The Belt and Road initiative is an immensely ambitious development campaign through which China wants to boost trade and stimulate economic growth across Asia and beyond. It hopes to do so by building massive amounts of infrastructure connecting it to countries around the globe. By some estimates, China plans to pump $150bn into such projects each year. In a report released at the start of this year, ratings agency Fitch said an extraordinary $900bn in projects were planned or underway.

There are plans for pipelines and a port in Pakistan, bridges in Bangladesh and railways to Russia - all with the aim of creating what China calls a “modern Silk Road” trading route that Beijing believes will kick start “a new era of globalisation”.

According to the global consultancy McKinsey, the plan has the potential to massively overshadow the US’ post-war Marshall reconstruction plan, involving about 65% of the world’s population, one-third of its GDP and helping to move about a quarter of all its goods and services. Some describe Xi’s scheme as the biggest development push in history.

This seems like a way to rapidly move troops into neighbouring countries.

[GoranZ]

Once again it falls to China to step up and protect the world from America.

The Belt and Road initiative is an immensely ambitious development campaign through which China wants to boost trade and stimulate economic growth across Asia and beyond. It hopes to do so by building massive amounts of infrastructure connecting it to countries around the globe. By some estimates, China plans to pump $150bn into such projects each year. In a report released at the start of this year, ratings agency Fitch said an extraordinary $900bn in projects were planned or underway.

There are plans for pipelines and a port in Pakistan, bridges in Bangladesh and railways to Russia - all with the aim of creating what China calls a “modern Silk Road” trading route that Beijing believes will kick start “a new era of globalisation”.

According to the global consultancy McKinsey, the plan has the potential to massively overshadow the US’ post-war Marshall reconstruction plan, involving about 65% of the world’s population, one-third of its GDP and helping to move about a quarter of all its goods and services. Some describe Xi’s scheme as the biggest development push in history.

This seems like a way to rapidly move troops into neighbouring countries.

US/Canadian investment is ok, Chinese/Russian is occupation? Double standards?

[notyou2]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

[DoomYoshi]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Occupy Wall Street started in a Canadian magazine.

[mrswdk]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Which countries have China occupied?

[DoomYoshi]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Which countries have China occupied?

Well if we consider China to be only the Yellow River valley because that's where the Shang and possibly Xia dynasties started, I count approximately 700 different countries that China has invaded and is currently occupying.

[waauw]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Which countries have China occupied?

Well if we consider China to be only the Yellow River valley because that's where the Shang and possibly Xia dynasties started, I count approximately 700 different countries that China has invaded and is currently occupying.

Not to mention the loads and loads of tributary vassal states held for centuries.

[Bernie Sanders]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Which countries have China occupied?

Tibet

[mrswdk]

Which countries have Canada occupied, other than Hollywood that is?

Which countries have China occupied?

Well if we consider China to be only the Yellow River valley because that's where the Shang and possibly Xia dynasties started, I count approximately 700 different countries that China has invaded and is currently occupying.

Not to mention the loads and loads of tributary vassal states held for centuries.

If an uneven power dynamic counts as occupation then I guess we can say that Samoa is currently occupied by Germany.

[Neoteny]

Ich bin ein Samoaer.

[waauw]

If an uneven power dynamic counts as occupation then I guess we can say that Samoa is currently occupied by Germany.

What a convenient euphemism.

In 1407, under the pretext of helping to restore the Trần dynasty, Chinese Ming troops invaded Đại Ngu and captured Hồ Quý Ly and Hồ Hán Thương. The Hồ dynasty came to an end after only 7 years in power. The Ming occupying force annexed Đại Ngu into the Ming Empire after claiming that there was no heir to Trần throne. Vietnam, weakened by dynastic feuds and the wars with Champa, quickly succumbed. The Ming conquest was harsh. Vietnam was annexed directly as a province of China, the old policy of cultural assimilation again imposed forcibly, and the country was ruthlessly exploited.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Vietnam#Ming_domination_&_Later_L%C3%AA_dynasty_(1407%E2%80%931527)

This is but one example of many. Especially the Qing dynasty was extremely aggressive in it's subjugations and constantly involved in wars. Korea, Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam, etc.

[mrswdk]

Just because the ancient dynasties ruled areas covering much of the land mass that is now governed by China does not mean that any of the ancient dynasties were China. Would you call the Roman Empire the ‘Italian Empire’?

China was founded in 1911.

[waauw]

Just because the ancient dynasties ruled areas covering much of the land mass that is now governed by China does not mean that any of the ancient dynasties were China. Would you call the Roman Empire the ‘Italian Empire’?

China was founded in 1911.

By that standard, Germany was only founded in 1945/1991. Yet you don't see anyone claiming Germany never invaded anyone.

[Dukasaur]

Just because the ancient dynasties ruled areas covering much of the land mass that is now governed by China does not mean that any of the ancient dynasties were China. Would you call the Roman Empire the ‘Italian Empire’?

China was founded in 1911.

By that standard, Germany was only founded in 1945/1991. Yet you don't see anyone claiming Germany never invaded anyone.

Lol, yeah. And Russia was founded in 1991, too...

[mrswdk]

Just because the ancient dynasties ruled areas covering much of the land mass that is now governed by China does not mean that any of the ancient dynasties were China. Would you call the Roman Empire the ‘Italian Empire’?

China was founded in 1911.

By that standard, Germany was only founded in 1945/1991. Yet you don't see anyone claiming Germany never invaded anyone.

So are we to take it that you think 'Italian Empire' is a valid name for the Roman Empire?

Lol, yeah. And Russia was founded in 1991, too...

Russia was a country prior to the formation of the Soviet Union and remained a country throughout the existence of the Soviet Union.

[Dukasaur]

Just because the ancient dynasties ruled areas covering much of the land mass that is now governed by China does not mean that any of the ancient dynasties were China. Would you call the Roman Empire the ‘Italian Empire’?

China was founded in 1911.

By that standard, Germany was only founded in 1945/1991. Yet you don't see anyone claiming Germany never invaded anyone.

So are we to take it that you think 'Italian Empire' is a valid name for the Roman Empire?

Lol, yeah. And Russia was founded in 1991, too...

Russia was a country prior to the formation of the Soviet Union and remained a country throughout the existence of the Soviet Union.

And before 1910, China was just a random mass of people hanging around, waiting to form a country?