Showing posts with label Trade War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trade War. Show all posts

Sunday, December 8, 2024

Scott Bessent's Covert MAGA Strategy for Trump 2.0 | Lu Qiyuan

Many people believe Trump 2.0 will be a 'peaceful' presidency, but I think they are mistaken. If war becomes the best option to overcome the US crisis, Donald Trump will not shy away from further conflict. Trump and his team are determined to maintain US dominance on the global stage as an empire—nothing has changed in that regard. While some may hope for the decline of the US empire, and I can understand that sentiment, the following isn't about whether the US should or shouldn't remain an empire. It's about how the Trump 2.0 administration is attempting to salvage the situation.
 
 Lu Qiyuan, Geopolitical Economist.

Through Elon Musk, Trump will aim to reform and abolish much of the federal bureaucracy, including challenging some of the core interests of the military-industrial complex. If he succeeds, it could shatter the entire establishment system, including the massive oligarchy operating behind it, particularly in the pharmaceutical and military sectors. However, the question remains: Can Elon Musk and his new department, DOGE, accomplish this goal? Honestly, I don't think he can.
To make America great again (MAGA), there are three things the United States and its leadership must avoid:
  • The collapse of the US military: To prevent the US military from collapsing, significant reform is necessary. As it stands, the US military is only capable of operating at the battalion level and is no longer able to challenge a major power in large-scale conventional warfare. While US combat tactics and intelligence networks remain the best in the world, the country’s conventional forces—including the Army, Navy, and Air Force—are falling behind. The US still holds an upper hand over smaller or medium-sized countries, but in conventional warfare with a major power, the military would stand little chance. If this situation persists for another five years, the US will be unable to challenge even medium-sized nations. The military’s strength today lies in special forces, covert operations, and tactics like assassination—but in terms of large-scale warfare, as seen in Ukraine, the US is no longer capable of handling such conflicts. This is a serious issue. The US military cannot collapse; it is a basic requirement for maintaining a global hegemonic empire. Over time, parts of the military have been privatized, but these private forces are unlikely to match the capabilities of groups like Russia’s Wagner, and their loyalty could be questionable. This privatization has left the US military in a fragile state.
  • The collapse of the US dollar: To stabilize the US dollar, the US must address its looming debt crisis and budget deficit. At $40 trillion in federal debt, the US is approaching a dangerous threshold—a breaking point after which the dollar could face a severe collapse. This wouldn't necessarily mean a collapse against other currencies, but rather a collapse in value relative to assets like Bitcoin, gold, or other key commodities. This is a critical issue that cannot be postponed. The US needs to begin addressing this problem by 2025 and show clear results by 2026.
  • The collapse of US capital markets: The US capital market is a key pillar supporting the US empire. To prevent its collapse, the US must achieve a degree of reindustrialization. Currently, the capital market is one of the few remaining supports for the US dollar itself.
But let’s now turn to Scott Bessent, whom Trump has chosen as his Treasury Secretary. To me, Bessent is the real gladiator behind Trump 2.0, not Elon Musk. I believe Bessent is one of the most important members of Trump’s Cabinet, and his role will be crucial in keeping the US empire alive. So, when Scott Bessent enters the Trump Cabinet, we can be sure that Trump’s ultimate support still comes from the same old force, because Bessent is one of the most powerful champions of the US establishment deep state.

 
» Bessent is one of the most powerful champions of the US deep state. «
 
Bessent is extremely intelligent and capable. Many are confused about George Soros' financial attacks around the world, including his famous campaign against the British pound in 1997. The truth is, it wasn’t Soros who was the main architect behind that; it was Bessent. Soros became famous because of Bessent, not the other way around. Bessent’s capabilities go beyond what most people can imagine. He possesses a deep understanding of monetary, currency, and financial systems—and, more importantly, he has real-world combat experience in financial warfare. He is a genius. But like everyone, Bessent also has his flaws. People like him, who are highly capable and self-confident, often don’t hide their moves or intentions. He has outlined the following four main goals for the Trump 2.0 administration:

1. The US budget deficit must remain within 3%.  
2. The US GDP growth must exceed 3%.  
3. The US crude oil production must increase by 3 million barrels per day.
4. The US must turn Mexico into an economic vassal to replace China in their supply chain.

Let me offer my prediction: In terms of US debt control, Scott Bessent suggests that the federal deficit needs to be limited to around $1 trillion for fiscal year 2025. This is nearly an impossible task. According to my calculations, US debt will reach $40 trillion by the end of the third quarter of 2025. Achieving this goal would require drastic cuts to federal spending, and I don’t believe Elon Musk has the ability to accomplish that. The US federal government simply won’t be able to generate enough revenue in time to cover the deficit. If the goal is to increase state revenue, the only way would be to militarize the entire country—which is not only nearly impossible, but something I would strongly advise against.

As for the 3% annual GDP growth goal: I believe it is achievable. Given Bessent’s capabilities, I think he could reach this target by maintaining a capital accumulation rate above 6%.

 
» You know what I did? I left troops in Syria to take the oil. I took the oil. «
Donald Trump in a January 2020 interview on Fox News.

Now, let’s focus on the goal of increasing crude oil production by 3 million barrels per day in the US: This is one of the clearest indicators of Trump 2.0’s strategy. But why 3 million barrels? Why this specific number? This is not a random figure. Do you know how much OPEC is reducing its production? Exactly 3 million barrels. Saudi Arabia has cut production by 1 million barrels, Russia by nearly 1 million barrels, and the remaining reductions add up to roughly 3 million barrels. So, while OPEC is cutting production by 3 million barrels, the US is increasing its production by the same amount.

Do you think Scott Bessent wants oil prices to fall? To crash? Maybe down to $20 a barrel? Do you think the energy giants would be happy with that? No, they would be furious because the cost of production in the US is around $30 a barrel. Do you think 
Bessent hasn’t thought about this? Of course, he has. He likely predicts, just as I do, that oil prices could rise to $150 a barrel. That’s why I said Bessent shouldn’t have made these statements public—they act as a warning signal about a potential US military operation. It suggests that the US might be preparing to take action against Iran and, in doing so, potentially shut down the entire Persian Gulf. That’s why Bessent wants to increase US crude oil production by 3 million barrels.
 
 
We would have gotten all that oil. It would have been right next door. But now we're buying it. «

For those who don’t understand the logic behind this, there’s a fundamental principle of supply and demand in the oil market: When OPEC reduces production, it typically signals a slight decrease in demand. However, when supply drops dramatically—such as due to war—prices can skyrocket, often exponentially rather than linearly. The US, as one of the few remaining major oil producers, stands to benefit from a major conflict in the Persian Gulf. With countries like Russia and Venezuela under heavy sanctions, the US could potentially monopolize oil prices, using this leverage to strengthen the US dollar against other currencies. This is essentially the same strategy the US employed in the Ukraine conflict, where by provoking the war and cutting off Russia’s energy supply to Europe, the US launched an attack on both the euro and the ruble.
 
 » Mexico is gonna have to straighten it out really fast, or the answer is absolutely. «

Scott Bessent, normally an extremely capable strategist, shouldn’t have revealed these goals so early, as doing so gives countries like China the chance to prepare and implement countermeasures. His statements now serve as a warning signal to world leaders about what’s to come and suggest that it is less likely the US will directly provoke a proxy war targeting China. During the anticipated surge in oil prices, the US could successfully collapse the euro, the Japanese yen, and the British pound, helping Scott Bessent achieve his goal. 
 
 
» Trump suggested missile strikes into Mexico against drug cartels. «
Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense in the first Trump administration, May 6, 2022.

On top of that, there's an additional strategy: The US could swiftly vassalize Mexico, rapidly industrialize it, and use it to complete a North American internal economic circulation. This would be the only way the US could successfully reindustrialize. Essentially, the US would turn Mexico into an economic vassal, replacing China in its supply chain. In fact, the most direct and simplest way for the US to reindustrialize would be to militarily occupy Mexico and use it as a substitute for China in its economic system.

Monday, November 25, 2024

Trump's Plan to Ruin China │ Dmitry Skvortsov

Losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars may await China in the coming months – and it’s all because of a document that has just been adopted in the United States. Now, everything depends on the decision of the next White House administration and Donald Trump personally. What is at stake, and how does Trump want to squeeze China out of the American market?


The
U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) recommended stripping China of its Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. This move is intended to facilitate the introduction of the trade tariffs promised by Trump on Chinese goods. This is the first time that the USCC, in its annual report to Congress, has openly called for an end to a policy that has been a cornerstone of China’s economic rise over recent decades. In 2022, the Commission had proposed to Congress to temporarily suspend China's PNTR status if the U.S. Trade Representative determined that Beijing had failed to meet its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations regarding market access.

The PNTR status was approved by Congress for China in 2000 in exchange for Beijing’s agreement to open its markets and liberalize trade practices before joining the WTO. This status obligates Washington to apply the same basic tariffs and privileges to Chinese goods as it does to most of its trade partners, in accordance with U.S. commitments under the WTO. It was also in October 2000 that Congress created the independent USCC, composed of 12 commissioners appointed by Congress. Its role was to monitor U.S.-China relations in trade and security and to provide annual reports to U.S. lawmakers on these issues.
 
  » In China, Tom Cotton wouldn’t even be a village chief. «

According to WTO rules, the U.S. can strip a country of trade advantages under exceptions for national security reasons. The Biden administration used this rationale when imposing sanctions on Russia after the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 (without specifying what exactly constituted a national security threat to the U.S.). In relation to China, American lawmakers want to free their hands in advance, creating the possibility of imposing tariffs or sanctions without any conditions or timelines.

Last week, Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan and chairman of the House China Committee, introduced a bill to revoke China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations status. He cited U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s assessment that China still adheres to a 
"state-managed, non-market approach to its economy and trade," which contradicts WTO norms and principles. The bill is likely to gain support from Republicans, including Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marco Rubio of Florida (Trump’s current nominee for Secretary of State), who were strong advocates for revoking PNTR for China during Trump’s first term. Democrats during Biden’s presidency also pressured China by limiting chip supplies and increasing military tensions between the two countries. However, Biden’s administration’s ultimate goal was to force Beijing to retreat and engage in what is called "decoupling."
 

In Washington’s interpretation, this would mean preserving a global economy where the U.S. would hinder the development of China's high-tech sectors while allowing it to continue earning revenue from supplying mass consumer goods to America. Chinese oligarchs were subtly hinted that they could return to a "business as usual" scenario if they could deal with Xi Jinping and avoid interfering in high-tech areas.

The Trumpist position is different. They want to strengthen America’s industrial power, even if it requires sacrificing the interests of global financial conglomerates and the very existence of a unified global economy. In this scenario, Chinese products would be forcefully squeezed out of the U.S. and several countries crucial to American economic interests. Whether China will find alternative markets to replace the U.S. is of little concern.

In a report published Tuesday, November 19, the Commission justified its recommendation to Congress to revoke PNTR status by stating that it 
"allows China to benefit from the same trade terms as U.S. allies despite its practices of intellectual property theft and market manipulation." Among the Commission's findings is also a recommendation for Congress to revoke the de minimis exception for e-commerce goods. This provision, enshrined in U.S. trade law, allows goods worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free and with less oversight from regulatory agencies. USCC experts refer to statements by U.S. officials that the "de minimis loophole" used by Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu harms U.S. jobs and could allow Chinese companies to deliver illegal products, including materials related to fentanyl.

China's Four Red Lines: Xi's warning to Biden and Trump.
November 17, 2024.
 
The recommended revocation of PNTR status would enable a Trump administration to increase tariffs on a wide range of Chinese products. Additionally, without this status, China could face annual reviews of its trade practices, as was the case before PNTR was granted. As USCC commissioner Jacob Helberg stated, "Increasing tariffs on Chinese industrial goods will accelerate the return of supply chains to the U.S., which aligns with President-elect Donald Trump's argument for imposing universal tariffs on imports."

The Chinese Embassy in Washington immediately responded to the recommendations in the USCC report. 
"Attempts to return U.S.-China trade and economic relations to the Cold War era violate WTO rules and will only harm the mutual interests of both countries and undermine the global economy," said embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu.

In 2023, China's exports to the U.S. amounted to $448 billion (compared to $505.6 billion in 2017). China has already been surpassed by Mexico ($480 billion) and is only slightly ahead of Canada ($429 billion). U.S. imports from China totaled $147 billion. In this regard, China ranks third, behind NAFTA  (USMCA) countries Canada ($352 billion) and Mexico ($323 billion). The U.S. trade deficit with China in 2023 was an unprecedented $301 billion, and it could increase by 4.4% this year.

If Trump imposes the 60% tariff he has promised (which would be easy to do if the USCC's proposal is adopted), the volume of Chinese goods entering the U.S. will drop sharply. China’s trade surplus with America will also shrink drastically. Even for Chinese companies that don’t leave the U.S. market, profitability will plummet. For those for whom the U.S. market is effectively closed, things will be much harder. Bankruptcy of a number of companies, mass layoffs, and decreased budget revenues are possible.

Quoted from:

Saturday, May 18, 2024

China Sells Off Record Amount of Dollar Assets as US Remains World's Bully

China sold off a record $53.3 billion of Treasury and agency bonds in the first quarter of 2024, a move seen as part of Beijing’s drive to diversify from US dollar assets. This comes as gold's share in China's official reserves rose to 4.9% in April, the highest on record.
 
»
It is a wise decision to diversify away from USD and to hold physical gold in your own country. «
Claudio Grass - May 18, 2024  

[...] This comes as Beijing vowed to retaliate against the Biden administration’s tough new levies on a wide array of Chinese-made goods, ranging from semiconductors and solar power cells to electric cars - the latest move in the escalating trade war between China and the US. The PRC’s Commerce Ministry warned that it would "take resolute measures to safeguard its own rights and interests" in response to the US’s 25-100% tariff hikes, accusing Washington of turning economic and trade issues into an instrument of "domestic political considerations." The warning followed the White House accusing China of "non-market policies and practices" resulting in "growing overcapacity and export surges that threaten to significantly harm American workers, businesses and communities."

 » And people expect interest rates to decline? «
Martin Armstrong - May 18, 2024
 
[...] Asked how the latest developments could affect the greenback on the global markets, Claudio Grass, an expert on monetary history, economics and an independent precious metals advisor based out of Switzerland, argued that "it will lead to the collapse of the USD and the current system. It is obvious that the Western civilization is being destroyed by their own corrupted and rotten political system and its rulers. The renewed politically enforced separation of the East and the West will lead to turmoil and chaos."
 
 
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