Recently, the United States waved the stick of levying additional tariffs and announced that, on the basis of the original 301 tariff on China, it would further increase the tariff on electric vehicles, lithium batteries, photovoltaic cells, key minerals, semiconductors, steel and aluminum, port cranes, personal protective equipment and other products imported from China. U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen said in an interview with the media, "The United States will very clearly carry out investment subsidies in strategic areas, but we do not want China to provide large subsidies to enterprises with serious overcapacity".

This is a blatant act of double standards and hegemony by the United States. Through the Chip and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States has provided hundreds of billions of dollars in direct and indirect subsidies to intervene in the allocation of market resources, instead accusing China of providing a large number of subsidies to so-called "severely overcapacity" enterprises. In fact, the development of China's industry is the result of technological innovation of enterprises and active participation in market competition. The United States' accusation is simply untenable. The United States does not look for reasons from itself, but rather "dumps the pot" in a rapidly developing China. How can there be such a reason in the world? In order to maintain their unipolar hegemony, some people in the United States frequently impose unilateral sanctions on China, abuse 301 tariffs, and almost crazily suppress China's normal economic, trade, and scientific and technological activities, which has become irrational.

This is a blatant illegal act by the United States. The WTO has clearly concluded that the 301 tariff of the United States violates WTO rules and international law. As a country that is always under the pretext of upholding international law, the United States not only does not correct its own mistakes, but recklessly politicizes and instrumentalizes economic and trade issues, adding mistakes to mistakes. How can such a country win trust from the international community?

The US move is a blatant breach of faith. The increase of 301 tariff by the US side violates President Biden's commitment of "not seeking to suppress and contain China's development", "not seeking to decouple from China", and does not conform to the spirit of consensus reached by the two heads of state. Such perfidy undoubtedly casts a cloud over the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation between China and the United States.

We can't help asking why the United States is guilty? The US raised 301 tariff, which revealed that the US was afraid that China would occupy a more dominant position in the industrial chain, and tried to curb China's scientific and technological development and deprive China of its right to development by imposing additional tariffs on some Chinese products in a "choke" way. The United States fantasized about "internal disease and external treatment". By curbing the impact of China's advantageous industries on the United States, it covered up the embarrassing reality of the weak green transformation of the United States and the gradual backwardness of traditional industries. At the same time, in the election year of the United States, the tariff card against China will be displayed to show that the United States is strong and hard on China, which is conducive to winning the votes of certain groups. In fact, the US government has blocked the entry of high-quality and inexpensive Chinese goods into the United States and raised the cost of living of the people, which is also difficult to be recognized by the American people. The United States will continue to create new problems for itself and the world instead of solving its own problems by suppressing China by any means.

Under the banner of "overcapacity", the United States cracked down on other countries' advanced industries, resorted to protectionism under the pretext of "fair competition", trampled on the principles of market economy and international economic and trade rules, and did not take its commitments seriously. This has made the international community further understand the dual standard nature of the United States, and also told the world not to have any illusions about the United States. We are facing not only an insecure America, but also an untrustworthy America.

The crackdown will not prevent China's development and revitalization, but will stimulate 1.4 billion Chinese people to work harder. We should concentrate on doing our own thing and adhere to high-quality development. We firmly believe that any unilateral actions and protectionism that go against the trend of the times will be crushed by the wheel of history.

(The author is an observer for international issues)

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