China’s trade retaliation against the US has left many warning that it is only a taste of what’s to come. In response to President Donald Trump’s threat to start a new trade war with China, Canada, and Mexico, Beijing has announced its own tariffs on US goods. This move serves as a clear message from Chinese leader Xi Jinping that any attempt to escalate tensions will be met with force.
In a similar vein, two smaller US allies – Canada and Mexico – have offered themselves up as scapegoats for the Trump administration’s failed trade policies. By agreeing to increase border security measures in an effort to placate the President, both countries have effectively taken a fall for America’s own mistakes.
Source: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/02/04/xi-jinping-shows-how-he-will-return-american-fire