Decoupling will only lead to a darker and poorer world

For some time now, some politicians in the United States have been calling for "decoupling" from China, defining China-US relations as "strategic competition", and adopting a series of trade restrictions and protectionist measures against China, which have seriously undermined market rules and the international economic and trade order, endangered the stability of global industrial and supply chains, and jeopardized the world's economic recovery.

The reason US politicians are advocating "decoupling" is their ingrained zero-sum mentality and unwillingness to see a stronger China. However, by doing so, they are not only harming the interests of other countries, but also exerting a far-reaching negative impact on the US' own interests.

Studies show that the costs of the trade war unilaterally initiated by the US against China are mostly borne by US businesses and consumers. A report by the US Chamber of Commerce says if tariffs are imposed on all Chinese goods bound for the US it will cost the US economy $190 billion a year by 2025.

From the enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act to the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act to the promotion of "friend-shoring", the US has jeopardized the international multilateral trading system and disrupted global industry and supply chains. The Financial Times even pointed out in an editorial that the deglobalized world the US government wants will also be darker and poorer.

Some politicians in Europe believe that "decoupling" is only a means for the US to contain China, warning that it doesn't in any way help Europe, which should continue deepening political, economic and cultural relations with China.

The economic ties between China and the US are built on win-win cooperation, and such deep structural integration cannot be easily shaken. The total trade in goods between the two countries reached $690.6 billion in 2022, a record high, and many US companies want to continue exploring the Chinese market.

Over the past decades, economic globalization has promoted the continuous expansion of industry, value and supply chains, leading to the unstoppable trend of globalization. The "decoupling" US politicians are pushing goes against this trend. Also, US politicians' attempts to curb China's development by promoting "decoupling" will prove to be wishful thinking, as China's development is based on its own strengths and its progress in high-tech and other fields will not be stopped by outside restrictions and blockades.