US undermines its privileged status with 'America first'

Editor's note: The US has once again reneged on the consensus reached with China and unilaterally threatened that it will impose 10 percent tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, an absurd move that once again exposes to the world that there are some in the US willing to ignore rules and break promises. Zhong Sheng, a columnist for People's Daily, comments:

The twists and turns China-US economic and trade consultations have encountered over the past year are all due to the US breaching consensuses and its failure to honor its promises. In previous China-US economic and trade talks, the rest of the world has had a clear impression of the US repeatedly changing its face.

As for the US' artificial escalation of trade frictions this time, China has said that if the US implements the threatened tariff measures, China will have to take necessary countermeasures to resolutely safeguard its core interests and the fundamental interests of its people, and all the consequences will be borne by the US side.

China has never yielded to those that apply pressure on it. With the solid foundation of the world's second-largest economy, the strong will of a united Chinese people, and the broad moral support of the international community, there is no possibility of China giving in to new external pressures or compromising its core national interests and the fundamental interests of its people.

It is worth pointing out that the current obsession of some in the US with "maximum pressure" has caused widespread concern and opposition throughout the international community. Their unreasonable demands and domineering behaviors have already caused the image of the US to plummet. Even in the US, many people are worried that the US has "successfully isolated itself" and "stepped into a no-strategy zone".

The reliance of some in the US on "maximum pressure" to get their way is in essence rooted in their hegemonic thinking and their law of the jungle mindset. They believe that power can override the international system of moral principles and rules. This is reflected in the words of Peter Navarro, the US leader's trade adviser, who has said that the US is more powerful than any other country and no country dare retaliate against the US.

The US should be aware that too much assertion and manipulation of its privileged position will be self-defeating since it will weaken its credibility and authority and create disasters.