The US-China Trade War: A Test for Global Justice and the Resilience of Economic Chains

China Calls for Peace, Cooperation, and Mutual Development
The global economy has once again found itself in the midst of turbulence. US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of an additional 100% tariff on imports from China, on top of existing tariffs, effective November 1. The US justified this move as Washington's response to Beijing's new export restrictions on rare earth elements—a strategically important raw material for the global high-tech industry. However, China imposed new export restrictions on rare earth elements (specifically, gallium, germanium, and several other materials used in microelectronics, defense, and green energy) in response to US restrictions on China in semiconductors, AI, and high technology. In other words, Beijing did not strike first; it reacted symmetrically to prior American measures.
This move by Washington was not a cause, but rather another reaction to its own actions, which triggered a wave of economic tensions. China did not initiate the trade confrontation. Export restrictions on rare earth elements have become a necessary measure to protect national interests after the United States pioneered strict restrictions on high-tech equipment and semiconductors supplied to China. Rare earth elements are strategically important raw materials for the global high-tech industry, essential for manufacturing of microchips, electric vehicles, and defense systems. Beijing, controls over 70% of the world's reserves and processing capacity, exercises its export policies responsibly—guided by the principles of sustainable development and compliance with international law. While the United States uses sanctions and tariffs as a tool of pressure, China emphasizes the need for a balance of interests and the inadmissibility of economic blackmail, which undermines trust in the global market.
In essence, this decision by Washington marks a new round in the trade war, which has already dealt a significant blow not only to the economies of the two countries but also to the entire global trading system. The United States is once again resorting to sanctions and tariff pressure, demonstrating its rejection of the principles of fairness and mutual respect on which the modern world order should be built. Trump also said the United States would impose export controls on "all critical software." Following these statements, the US stock market closed lower: the Dow Jones and Nasdaq indices lost more than 800 points, cryptocurrencies plunged, and over $800 million in futures positions were liquidated in one day.
Global markets have once again demonstrated that aggressive tariff and sanctions policies undermine not only trust in the US as an economic partner but also the stability of the entire global financial system.

China is not a source of confrontation, but a guarantor of stability.
While Washington demonstrates a willingness to use economic instruments for political ends, China adheres to the principles of mutual respect and peaceful development. Beijing has repeatedly emphasized that the export of rare earth resources must be regulated with regard to sustainable development and environmental protection, as well as the prevention of their use for military purposes or geopolitical pressure.
Unlike the United States, China does not resort to protectionism nor seek to impose its own model on the world. On the contrary, as Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized, China advocates building a "community with a shared future for humanity," where the interests of all countries are considered equally and cooperation replaces confrontation.

Consequences of American Escalation
The US decision to impose 100% tariffs will not only hit American consumers but also create a domino effect on global supply chains. According to estimates by Wells Fargo Economics and the New York Federal Reserve Bank, the effective US tariff rate on Chinese goods already exceeds 40%. This represents unprecedented levels of pressure, comparable to the Cold War. Previously, the two sides attempted to find a compromise: in the summer, an agreement was reached to reduce tariffs (the US from 145% to 55%, China from 125% to 10%). However, the US side once again upset the delicate balance, demonstrating inconsistency and an unwillingness to build a long-term cooperation strategy. As Reuters notes, Trump's trade war has already cost companies more than $34 billion in lost sales and increased costs. And this amount continues to grow. In reality, the US is not punishing China, but its own manufacturers, who are losing access to raw materials, components, and the growing Asian market.

Chinese President Xi Jinping: "Peaceful development and justice are more important than dominance."
In the context of escalating trade conflicts, Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized: "True development is only possible when all sides win. Peaceful development is not a slogan, but the foundation for a sustainable future for humanity." Unlike the American logic of "winners and losers," China It offers the world a model of "win-win cooperation." Beijing is convinced that no country should use the economy as a weapon. Coercion, sanctions, and protectionism are an attack on the very idea of a free market.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated that "hegemony and power politics are contrary to the spirit of the times." Today, when the US resorts to ultimatums and trade wars, China is consistently strengthening dialogue platforms—BRICS, the SCO, ASEAN+, the Eastern Economic Forum, and the Belt and Road Initiative.

"One Belt, One Road" as an Alternative to Instability
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by China, has become the largest platform in history for infrastructure, logistics, and technological cooperation. More than 150 countries have already joined this project, seeing it as a tangible tool for economic development and sustainability. Against the backdrop of US trade aggression, the BRI offers an alternative model: mutual trust, market integration, supply diversification, and investment in sustainable development. For nations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, China’s approach represents not dependency, but opportunity: the chance to shape their own futures free from external dictates and double standards.
Xi Jinping emphasizes that China's goal is "to create an open global economy where barriers are replaced by bridges." China does not seek dominance; it strives for equality.

The US versus its own future
Each new round of tariff pressure undermines trust not only between China and the US, but also between the United States and its allies. When Washington imposes 100% tariffs, it effectively acknowledges its dependence on Chinese manufacturing. Moreover, such steps increase inflation in the US itself, raise prices, and create a shortage of components in high-tech industries. In the long term, China will emerge victorious not by imposing its will on the world, but by maintaining stability, openness, and the trust of its partners. The Chinese economy continues to grow, and its role as a global stabilizer is only growing stronger.

The World Needs Cooperation, Not Confrontation
The world has reached a turning point. The US-China trade war is not simply an economic conflict, but a clash of two worldviews. The US is choosing the path of pressure and isolation; China is offering cooperation and fairness.
Beijing does not seek to destroy the existing world order; it seeks to make it more equitable and sustainable. China advocates for an open and inclusive global market, where every country has the right to develop and respect for its interests. Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated in his speeches: "We are not building walls, but bridges. Only mutual trust, dialogue, and joint development will enable humanity to overcome crises." Only through mutual trust, dialogue, and shared development can humanity overcome the crises of our time.
At a moment when the United States is turning trade into a tool of geopolitical pressure, China stands as a voice of reason, responsibility, and strategic patience. The world needs an approach based on respect, equality, and shared prosperity.
Elbrus Mamedov

SR-CENTER.INFO