To me (European), there is no strategy behind these tariffs other than Trump's thirst for a dominant display. Just to show that he can, that he has the cards.
He introduces a shocking measure and then wants to humiliate the affected by letting them beg for relief. Submission. In a speech yesterday he literally said that "countries are coming to kiss his ass" and he clearly took great joy in this validation of power.
What he forgets, and so does this article, is that due to the above tactics this isn't a USA vs China situation. It has become a USA vs everybody else situation.
And surely "everybody else" is working on alternatives.
> And surely "everybody else" is working on alternatives.
Well, it really depends on the competence of "everybody else"...
Can you be more specific in what you mean by that?
If I were a lazy incompetent politician I'd do the short sighted thing (kiss the Trump ass to placate my voters) and leave the long term thinking to whoever unfortunate enough to succeed my position.