Retaliation and Rising Friction
The latest escalation follows a fresh round of tit-for-tat measures. Earlier this week, China announced it would halt new deliveries of Boeing aircraft and suspend purchases of critical U.S.-made aerospace components — a direct counter to the U.S.’s imposition of a 145% tariff on Chinese goods. Additionally, Beijing has intensified restrictions on the export of rare earth materials — essential elements for industries ranging from aerospace to semiconductors and defense. The strategic materials have long been a point of leverage for China, which controls the bulk of global supply. Washington, however, framed its latest tariff hike as a matter of national security. A White House fact sheet pointed to China’s export controls on strategic materials and what it labeled “unfair trade practices” as justification for the retaliatory tariffs.U.S. Rhetoric Hardens
In Washington, the message remains combative. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that President Trump is open to a deal — but only if Beijing takes the first step. “The ball is in China's court,” Leavitt said. “China needs to make a deal with us; we don’t have to make a deal with them.” She added pointedly that “China wants what we have — the American consumer. They need our money.” Despite intermittent moments of diplomacy over the years, both sides have shown little appetite for de-escalation. While Trump has occasionally praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, neither leader appears willing to yield ground.Global Implications
The trade conflict, now stretching into its seventh year, continues to reverberate through global markets. Analysts warn that prolonged hostilities could further strain supply chains, destabilize commodity markets, and add inflationary pressure to an already fragile global economy. China’s state-run Global Times was even more scathing in its assessment, labeling the U.S.’s tariff strategy a “numbers game with no real economic value” and claiming that Washington’s reliance on trade war tactics has turned it into a “laughingstock on the world stage.” With no clear offramp in sight, economists caution that both sides may be preparing for a long, grinding economic standoff — one that risks reshaping the geopolitical and economic order for years to come.“Trade wars are easy to start, but almost impossible to finish,” said Chen Wei, a trade policy expert at Renmin University in Beijing. “Both governments need to decide whether confrontation or cooperation better serves their long-term national interests.”