Trump’s Fight with China is About More Than Just Trade

Most Americans don’t fully understand the trade war between the United States and China. Those who only pay attention to the progressive mainstream media may be under the impression that the feud is strictly personal — President Donald Trump just doesn’t like China, and hasn’t for years.

There is a kernel of truth to this — Trump has in fact been talking about the trade deficit with China since the 1980s. Before he took his signature hardline stance to run for president in 2016, it was more or less his main political issue. That has since changed.

Let’s not kid ourselves: it’s true that China is hurting as a result of Trump’s tariffs. But it’s also true that the American consumer is going to take a hit as well — perhaps not as hard as the Chinese consumer, but that doesn’t matter. China’s President Xi Jinping is essentially a dictator, and doesn’t need to care about what the average Chinese citizen thinks. Trump does not have that luxury.

This is why Trump needs to be more vocal about the moral case against China. It is a sadistic totalitarian regime that abuses its neighbors, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other East Asian countries that trade along the South China Sea.

This isn’t just about trade — it’s about national security, and standing with our allies.

The trade war with china is much more important than even Trump is communicating. Here’s Michael Knowles with more.