US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods have taken effect, the biggest round of tariffs in an escalating bilateral trade war. China called off planned talks last week, indicating hostility between the two nations has intensified.
As the trade dispute grows into a larger economic war between the two superpowers, watch these four areas closely: 1. How the Chinese public reacts “If you love him, bring him to New York, for it is heaven. If you hate him, bring him to New York, for it is hell.” Nothing captures the Chinese public’s complicated love-hate affair with the United States quite like the opening of “A Native of Beijing in New York (北京人在纽约),” a 1990s novel turned tele-drama that chronicled the success and tragedy of a Chinese couple in the US. The People’s Republic of China, founded in 1949, long demonized the US as a capitalist enemy, but a softening and opening began in 1978. Studying or visiting the US in the 1980s and 1990s, let alone emigrating, was like winning the jackpot. Through increased cooperation and exchanges, Chinese formed a genuine curiosity, even admiration, for the US.That lottery ticket image has since faded with China’s economic rise, but the US remains the destination of choice, attracting students in record numbers. A US passport is highly prized and Chinese leaders, including President Xi, still send their children to elite US colleges.