Why has Donald Trump threatened to ‘destroy’ China? He says, ‘If I play those cards…’, what are these cards?

US President Donald Trump with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. (File Image).

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At a time when the US and China are holding talks for a bilateral trade agreement or at least a deal on tariffs, President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 200% tariffs on its goods if it does not supply rare earth minerals and magnets. Talking to reporters after a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the White House Monday, he said, “They have to give us magnets; if they don’t give us magnets, then we have to charge them 200% tariffs or something.” He went to the extent of threatening to destroy China. The US President said, “We are going to have a great relationship with China… They have some cards. We have incredible cards, but I don’t want to play those cards. If I play those cards, that would destroy China. I am not going to play those cards.” 

Will Donald Trump stop supplying Boeing spare parts?

The US president also warned China of stopping the supply of spare parts of Boeing-manufactured aeroplanes, if China does not give rare earth magnets. He said, “200 of their planes were unable to fly because we were not giving them Boeing parts on purpose because they weren’t giving us.” Trump’s threat has come at a time when the US-based aircraft maker is holding talks with the Chinese authorities to sell 500 aircraft. Trump’s threat has come at a time when Chinese exports of rare earth magnets have reached the level where these were before the US imposed 145% tariffs. It has increased by 660% July compared to the previous month. 

General Will Donald Trump act on threat?

However, Henry Wang, founder and president of the Beijing-based think tank Center for China & Globalization, thinks that Trump is using the threat to put pressure on Beijing so that it could accept its demands in the ongoing trade talks. He told CNBC, “He’s bluffing. He always talks big on tariffs or potential punishment, but we shouldn’t get caught up in the rhetoric.”

(A mine of rare earths in China.)

General Will China succumb to US pressure?

An unperturbed China will send its team of officials to Washington, as planned before. Senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang will visit the US this week. He will meet U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and senior Treasury officials. It is too early to conclude. However, Li’s upcoming meetings could lay the groundwork for higher-level negotiations and enduring solutions to ease the tensions. The Trump administration extended the deadline for the US-China trade deal for another 90 days on August 12. Now, the two sides must agree on tariff rates by November 10. Analysts believe that Donald Trump has used the threat to put pressure on China. 

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