Non-archive: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/world/asia/china-tariffs-trade-warning.html
This is actually some interesting strategy from the US. Rather than trying to actually reindustrialise the USA itself, they could move their offshore labour to some other aspiring third world country. The carrot of becoming a “Second China” against the stick of suffering sanctions could be enough to convince some massive country like the Philippines to also embargo China.
They can also extract more surplus than corporations in China due to less labour regulation and class struggle.
Vietnam seems like a prime candidate to become to China what China was to the USSR in the 70s. Despite statements of solidarity and friendship, they can easily fill China’s niche in the world market.
Ironically, this competition between the old economic bloc and the nascent Chinese one could lead to industrialisation efforts in the periphery of both.
I’m not as positive on China as most users here, so I see a clear incentive for Chinese capital to invest in dependent primary sector development at the periphery of their bloc, as investing in advanced manufacturing is both competition in their own bloc and creating a replacement for the NATO bloc. On the other hand, any “second China” can’t be held down economically, so it’ll need a tighter leash through military dependence by surrounding them with war.
My candidates for those besides the usual Europe, Israel and Japan are Chile, Philippines, Vietnam and possibly even occupied and reconstructed Ukraine after the war.
I agree that the world isn’t going to rise up in a united front with China against the US. China (and certainly the CPC) doesn’t expect that, although they do what they can to engage with the global south simply as part of an unchanging decades long strategy. For the CPC, Trump is short term phenomenon reflecting the same long term trend from USA that they always knew they will have to deal with at some point. Although they were probably hoping they wouldn’t have to deal with it quite so quickly.
The rhetoric in the West is really different from the news and analysis in Chinese. It’s calmer and always tend to take the long perspective, small adjustments required but the direction of travel remains steady. Working with neighboring countries is a part of consistent and ongoing relationship-building. While one may leverage the current volatility to get some stuff done, China does not expect miracles. Its confidence comes from know it has the ability to weather these external fluctuations within itself, and when push comes to shove, it can never and will not rely on any other entity.