Threat of trade war only undermines US

The United States registered 20 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation cases against China involving $3.7 billion in 2016, according to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Given the rising pressure of trade disputes on China, the election of Donald Trump as US president has raised concerns that the new US administration may seek exorbitant and unreasonable economic concessions from and even stage a trade war with China. Some even cite the trade disputes to say China's economic prospects look gloomier.

Such a view is simplistic. Economic and trade ties between China and the US are by no means a zero-sum game. Instead, they are mutually beneficial. Since the US' huge and still rising "twin deficits" (fiscal and trade deficits) cannot continue forever, Washington needs to launch tangible reforms to correct the situation. It is thus understandable that many US citizens have higher expectations from the Trump administration. But only if the US has a stable and sustainable macro economy can it ensure a healthy and prosperous trade atmosphere for itself as well as China.