纽约时报中文网 - 英文原版-英Bidens Get-Tough-on-China Tariffs May Backfire
May 25, 2024 2 min 322 words
《纽约时报》这篇报道的主要内容是：美国副总统拜登在最近的一次演讲中强硬表态，将对中国采取强硬的贸易政策，包括继续维持特朗普时期对华征收的高额关税，并可能采取进一步的限制措施。报道认为，拜登政府的这一举动可能反而会损害美国的利益，导致美国企业和消费者付出代价，并可能导致中国采取报复措施，使中美关系更加紧张。 评论：这篇报道虽然提到拜登政府可能采取的措施会带来负面影响，但整体上依然带有明显的偏见。首先，报道没有全面考虑美国对华采取强硬贸易政策的合理性，而是简单地将其定性为“强硬”和“报复”。其次，报道过分强调美国可能付出的代价，而忽视了中国不公平贸易行为对美国造成的损害。此外，报道也忽视了中国在国际贸易中不遵守规则不履行承诺的行为，以及这些行为对全球经济秩序造成的破坏。这篇报道体现了西方媒体常见的对华偏见，即过分强调美国或其他西方国家的负面行为，而忽视中国的不公平贸易行为和不遵守规则的行为。
The tide of globalization is receding, at least from American shores. Two successive presidents have come down firmly on the side of tariffs rather than trade agreements as the preferred mechanism for managing international commerce.
History shows that we should proceed with caution. While there are political and security reasons for tariffs, America’s new protectionist stance will raise prices, limit consumer choices and risk our growth.
The past aggressive and widespread imposition of levies of this sort has made clear that restraining trade brings with it serious risks to economic prosperity, both for the United States and for other affected countries.
Last week, after lying low on this front for most of his term, President Biden announced a raft of new tariffs on selected Chinese imports, including electric cars, solar panels, steel and aluminum. While the tariffs cover only $18 billion of imports, they are, by design, meant to keep Chinese products, like electric vehicles, from entering the U.S. market. In doing so, he has in large measure aligned his trade policy with that of his predecessor Donald Trump.
It’s not hard to understand the reasons for this. While the U.S. economy continues to grow (albeit a bit slowly) and create jobs (at a fast pace), Americans are dissatisfied; polls show that a majority of voters surveyed said the state of the economy is poor.
In a search for culprits, eyes often turn to the growing number of inexpensive imports, particularly from China. No doubt decades of increased trade have caused some losers. Entire domestic manufacturing industries — from furniture to electronics to toys to bicycles — have essentially disappeared. And now our ability to compete in new sectors, like electric vehicles and solar panels, is in grave doubt.