Recently, the smell of gunpowder between China and the United States has become much stronger. First, the Trump administration threw out a big move, saying it would impose a 100% tariff on China goods. Then, U.S. Treasury Secretary Basent also came to "add fuel" and publicly hinted that if China could "collect" rare earth exports, the United States might be able to "slow down" tariff measures.
As soon as these words came out, they immediately exploded in international public opinion. China also responded quickly and made a direct statement-this is out of order, and we will not buy it.
While the United States is intensifying its suppression of Chinese companies, it is also trying to get benefits at the negotiating table. This is a good calculation, but it obviously missed the point.
China's response this time can be said to be unambiguous, tough attitude, straight words, in one sense: you want to change something, you have to understand the cards first.
On the one hand, the negotiating side threatens, and China does not buy debt.
Besent's "hint" sounded like giving China a way out, but in fact it used rare earths as a condition for negotiations.
The subtitle of this word is: You let the point, I may not be out of hand. But the problem is that this approach is clearly a threat, not a negotiation.
Of course, China will not accept this kind of tone, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded on the spot. The US's behavior of negotiating and suppressing while lacking basic sincerity, and its attempt to change will not succeed.
In recent years, the United States has been capricious in its China policy. To put it at best, it is "flexible" and to put it bluntly, it is "out of reach." This round, rare earths were used as bargaining chips. On the surface, they wanted to use pressure to gain concessions on China's export policy, but in fact it exposed the US's own anxiety-if there was no better strategy in hand, they could only go around and around trying to pry China's bottom line.
China's attitude has long been made clear that rare earths are not used for trading. This is resource management and control at the national strategic level, and it cannot be changed by any country.
China has emphasized many times that rare earth controls are based on industrial safety, environmental protection and long-term development considerations, and have nothing to do with whom they target or retaliate against. If the United States insists on treating this as "aiming at itself," it can only be said that it is taking its place.
Moreover, if the U.S. side really wants to solve the problem, it must first stop its own policy of pressure.On the one hand, the Chinese side has a hat on the head, on the other hand, it wants to negotiate conditions with rare earth, such a "double operation" has a problem from the root.
China is clear where its bottom line is, and will not be caught in the nose by this "soft and hard belt" technique.
Rare earth is not the code, it is the bottom line.
This time, China's adjustment of its export policy on rare earths has actually been foreshadowed and was not a sudden intention. In recent years, the United States has gradually increased its restrictions on China companies. Many key areas have been classified as "high risk" by the United States, and even scientific research and education have not been spared.
In this context, China’s strengthening of the management of critical resources is a normal sovereign act.
Moreover, rare earth is not a commodity that can be exported on its own.It plays an important role in many high-end manufacturing and emerging industries, and whoever has mastered the rhythm of rare earth exports has mastered part of the supply chain.
China, of course, will not easily give up on this strategic leverage, which is not "tand-to-tand", but a reciprocal response, which is to give the other party a signal: don't think of pressuring China, but also want to take advantage of critical resources.
Judging from the actual situation, China's rare earth policy this time is not a "one-size-fits-all" approach, but a very measured adjustment, mainly aimed at indiscriminate exploitation, abuse, and environmental damage, and also strengthened supervision of export flows.
This approach is both a need for internal governance and a response to external pressure.China is telling the world that you can work with me, but on the condition that you respect me, not by coercion.
If the U.S. is really concerned about the problem of the supply of rare earth, then it should not threaten others, but look for ways to solve its dependence.But now it seems that the U.S. is more willing to use pressure in exchange for short-term benefits than to fundamentally think about how to build a more stable relationship with China.
The US media begins to "turn against water", and Trump continues to take the blame
Interestingly, even some mainstream media in the United States can't sit still this time. Many media unanimously pointed out in their reports that this "rare earth exchange for tariffs" controversy is actually a continuation of Trump's policy confusion.
They believe that it was Trump who repeatedly used extreme means to put pressure on China, which had the opportunity to ease the Sino-U.S. relationship.
The analysis of the U.S. media is also straightforward, believing that the government's strategy towards China lacks coherence, saying today to talk, and sanctions tomorrow, so that the Chinese side has no way to judge what the U.S. side actually wants.
Especially after Trump came to power, many differences that should have been resolved through dialogue were completely ruined by a ban or a threat.
You said you wanted to talk about cooperation, but you stabbed me in the back every day. Who wants to accompany you in this situation?
What is even more ironic is that while the United States talks about "free market", it frequently interferes in business operations, blacklisting, restricting exports, and blocking technology at any time. This practice has long aroused many doubts internationally.
Even some U.S. allies have begun to feel that this policy of "turning one's face faster than turning a book" is too difficult to understand and there is great pressure to cooperate.
In this game, although China has suffered many impacts, it has always maintained a relatively stable strategy. China has not taken the initiative to stir up trouble, but it has never shy away from counter-measures.
Every response revolves around the principles of legality, reasonability and reasonability, without emotion or blind escalation. This is the attitude that a responsible big country should have.
In contrast, the performance of the United States is more like being angry. Every time it increases its weight, it is trying to force China to make concessions, but it hits a wall again and again. Looking back now, this strategy not only failed to achieve its goal, but plunged the US itself into a more passive situation.
Even the US media has begun to reflect on whether Trump’s approach has ruined things, which indicates that the problem has reached the point where it has to face.
China's response this time is not only an explanation of the rationality of rare earth control, but also a resolute response to the pressure exerted by the United States. The "rebellion" of the US media has won more international understanding for China to some extent.
After all, when a country breaks the rules, disrupts consensus, and imposes unilateral policies, it is difficult for even its own media to defend it.
The game between China and the United States is no child's play
In the end, competition between the two countries is inevitable, but competition is not equivalent to confrontation, not even to compulsion to solve the problem.If the United States uses a hard way to pressure China, it will only let the situation go in a worse direction.
China's position is consistently willing to talk and cooperate, but on the premise of mutual respect and equal treatment.
If the United States cannot fundamentally adjust its attitude towards China, no amount of negotiations will be just a formality.
This rare earth incident has actually given a clear signal: China will not change its judgment because of pressure, let alone sacrifice its core interests in exchange for apparent calm.
Rare-earth is not a code, nor a tool in the hands of the United States, it is a part of China’s strategic security and a mirror of China’s attitude toward the outside world.
From this mirror, we can see clearly who is adhering to principles and who is destroying; Who is maintaining stability and who is causing trouble. Sino-US relations have come to this day, not by shouting slogans, nor by comparing who has a bigger fist, but by seeing who is more patient and measured.
This game will continue in the future, but China has already made its attitude clear: I am not afraid if you are tough; You want to talk, I do. But to continue the talk, the US side must first show some real sincerity.
It's not a threat, a "hint", or a mouth.
The road of cooperation requires people to be more sincere and less routine. Whether China and the United States can go far depends not on who is louder, but on who is more reliable. This "rare earths for tariffs" storm may pass, but the lessons it leaves will probably be slowly absorbed by the United States.
Source: Foreign media said that the U.S. Treasury Secretary hinted that "tariffs are exchanged for rare goods", China's response--2025 - 10 -16 16:16·Observer Network
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