Further Examination of MOFCOM's Statement & China's Intentions

In a follow up to last night’s breaking news from China’s MOFCOM (Ministry of Commerce), we have another article placed on Guancha that further parses what was said and what ought to be expected. Its title:

Concern: China will engage with the US with a scrutinist mentality

China and the United States are finally going to talk, and this news has become the top priority in the field of public opinion at home and abroad today. According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce, Vice Premier He Lifeng will visit Switzerland from May 9 to 12, during which Vice Premier He Lifeng, as the Chinese leader of China-US economic and trade relations, will hold talks with US Secretary of the Treasury Bessant.

It needs to be said that this is a positive sign. The global trade impasse caused by the brazen trade war launched by the United States has been going on for some time, and all parties are suffering losses and injuries, especially the United States itself. China is a veritable force in the world's anti-trade war. Because China has withstood most of Washington's firepower, some countries have been able to "steal peace." It is because China has withstood Washington's almost frenzied tariff attacks that the US top brass has been forced to keep unleashing on adjusting tariff measures without waiting for a phone call, and to take the initiative to send messages to the Chinese side through various channels in the hope of talking with the Chinese side. "Fight, accompany to the end; talks, the door is open," China's position is consistent. It is only when the United States realizes that it is impossible to subdue China through trade blackmail and bullying that it will be more proactive in talking.

Please note the statement of the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce: China has carefully assessed the information of the US side. After fully considering global expectations, China's interests, and the demands of the U.S. industry and consumers, China decided to agree to engage with the U.S. side. "Engagement" is not negotiation; "engagement" means that the channel is connected first, which is one level lower than negotiation, and the wording is very exquisite, which shows that China's intentions and sincerity towards the US side need to be observed and confirmed, and it needs to "listen to its words and watch its deeds". To a certain extent, it can be said that China's engagement with the US with the mentality of a reviewer is in the hands of the Chinese side as to whether to shift from "engagement" to "negotiation" or to suspend "engagement". China's move is neither compromise nor credulity, but a strategic response to the US initiative. The Chinese side did not lower the bottom line of principles, but took the engagement as an opportunity to observe whether the US side is really sincere in correcting its mistakes.

Some netizens wondered, "Is this a smoke bomb or a delaying tactic by the United States?" In fact, there is no need to overthink that if the US side does not match its words and deeds and tries to continue to exert pressure under the guise of engagement, China has already made it clear that it "will never seek any agreement at the expense of its principled position and international fairness and justice." Regardless of the outcome, this engagement will provide the Chinese side with more information and experience for future games. As we all know, the negotiating table is also an important battleground. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945, in order to expose Chiang Kai-shek's conspiracy of "fake democracy and real civil war", Chairman Mao went to Chongqing in person to negotiate with Chiang Kai-shek. Although the negotiations failed to prevent the civil war, this action demonstrated to the people of the whole country and the world the sincerity of the Chinese Communist Party in striving for peace, exposed the true face of Chiang Kai-shek, and won the moral high ground for the subsequent struggle.

There are similarities in this economic and trade engagement between China and the United States. Even if the US side lacks the sincerity to negotiate on an equal footing, China can further reveal its true intentions to the international community through contacts. As the spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce said, "China's determination to safeguard its own development interests will not change, and its position and goal of safeguarding international fairness and justice and safeguarding the international economic and trade order will not change."

During the arduous years of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, China and the United States "fought and talked, talked and fought" on the battlefield, and negotiations and operations complemented each other. The heroic performance of the volunteers on the battlefield portrayed the prestige of the country and the army and won a favorable position for the game at the negotiation table. The current economic and trade game between China and the United States also requires a combination of strength on the battlefield and wisdom at the negotiating table.

In the face of tariff wars and trade wars under maximum pressure from the United States, China's economy has shown unimaginable resilience and strength. Since 2018, China has withstood the pressure, steadily promoted high-quality development, made remarkable progress in scientific and technological self-reliance and self-reliance, and continued to enhance the stability of industrial and supply chains. These achievements prove that US unilateralism will not work in the face of China. Behind this engagement is China's self-confidence in firmly following its own development path. No matter what the US side does, China will be able to respond to all changes without change, handle its own affairs well, and lay a solid foundation for engagement and games. [My Emphasis]

I note the Covid Year wasn’t included since its actual root has yet to be discovered, but some version of a Trade War with China’s been in the Outlaw US Empire’s policy mix since the Obama regime, although the inane aspect of its policy was to continue to strengthen China via continual offshoring of industry while trying to negate the outcomes of that policy which was and is a stronger China. What IMO needs to be acknowledged is China’s ability to see and comprehend the Empire’s policy aims and to craft a policy that would use the Empire’s efforts to China’s advantage. I’m also curious to see if the US side takes advantage of this open information provided by China on its position, which is uncannily similar to Russia providing its basic negotiating position on Ukraine that by its actions Team Trump never bothered reading. IMO, there’s a very strong possibility Bessant will prove an ass and bungle the engagement. And China’s position is very public as you’re reading it here.

I linked to this video interview by Bloomberg TV with Port of Los Angeles Director Gene Seroka who explained the impact on his and other US ports, consumer pricing, and how this affects the ordering schedule for retailers along with other business effects, and I link to it again because it provides info all readers ought to be aware of. What isn’t said by Seroka and other US commentators is China businesses have other outlets for their goods—there are many more market opportunities than the US market beginning with the Chinese market with its one billion people—over three times the US market size. The US was once the market of last resort which fueled the indispensable nation myth, but that’s no longer the case. Outside the close to four billion people composed of China, India, and the Collective West is another four billion that are rising in their economic power and market importance. About one billion are already well connected to China via RCEP and ASEAN. As Team Biden discovered in 2021 when it was lectured by their Chinese opposites in Alaska, the Outlaw US Empire no longer has any position of strength in relation to China. That if China is disrespected, it will get up and leave the table.

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