Trump Wages War Against China
Trump has made no secret of his antipathy towards China. Since the beginning of his second term, he has embarked on a ruthless campaign to hurt the country’s economic prospects, levying a series of tariffs against it in a bid to cement the US’s position at the forefront of the global economy.
Among other things, this particular executive order can be understood as an attempt to punish China for its alleged complicity in the US opioid epidemic. Several investigations, including one from the DEA, have pinpointed China as a core source of fentanyl into the US, shipped from the country via mail services that take advantage of the de minimus agreement.
More broadly, the President is determined to fend off economic and technological competition from the superpower. Shortly after taking office, he announced significant investment into “Project Stargate,” a taskforce set up to lay down a marker in the unfolding AI race.
