Another round of US-China trade talks is expected next week, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice Premier He Lifeng tasked with negotiating a de-escalation of new tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
Meanwhile, according to a report by The New York Times, over the past few days, Chinese state media has been releasing an old video of Mao Zedong giving one of his most famous battle cries. “As long as they want to fight,” he shouts from behind a row of microphones, “we’ll fight!”
In a 1953 speech, the former Chinese leader referred to the United States, its adversary in the Korean War.
Watch the video here:
According to a New York Times report, China’s propaganda apparatus this week empowered and emboldened citizens with messages of strength and patriotism.
But state media and officials have refrained from using tougher rhetoric, suggesting China’s leadership is still keeping the door open to a potential reconciliation with the United States.
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“They don’t want to box themselves in,” said Dali Yang, a University of Chicago professor who studies Chinese politics. He said years of hawkish “wolf warrior” diplomacy had taught China’s leaders the dangers of fanning nationalism, according to the NYT.
“Sometimes when public sentiment was so mobilized, it was hard for the authorities to de-escalate, and sometimes it made them look bad,” he said.
How did Mao Zedong see America?
Mao had complex and often critical views of the United States. In his 1949 article “On People’s Democratic Dictatorship”, Mao indirectly criticized the US as part of the imperialist camp opposing the Chinese Revolution, accusing it of supporting the Kuomintang (Nationalist) government against the Communist Party during the Chinese Civil War.
Read also | US and China engage in ‘sincere’ trade talks; personal meeting next week
He further called American imperialism a “paper tiger”. He declared: “The atomic bomb is a paper tiger that American reactionaries use to scare people. It looks terrible, but it really isn’t.”
Donald Trump-Xi Jinping
On a visit to Washington, Chinese officials sought to calm concerns about their sudden escalation of rare earth export restrictions to ease international backlash as trade talks with the US continue.
Bloomberg reported that recent developments in the escalating trade dispute include US threats to impose 100% tariffs in retaliation for China’s newly imposed export controls on rare earth minerals.
In addition, the two countries have introduced new port charges, China has imposed sanctions on US maritime subsidiaries and the US is considering a potential ban on Chinese cooking oil imports, Bloomberg reported.
Finance Minister Scott Bessent spoke with Deputy Prime Minister He Lifeng on Friday night and the two are due to meet in Malaysia next week to lay the groundwork for the upcoming leaders’ summit.
Trump also expressed optimism that continued talks with Chinese officials could lead to an agreement to ease trade tensions.
“I think things have loosened up,” Bessent said Friday during a White House event. “I’m confident that President Trump, with his relationship with President Xi Jinping, will be able to get things back on track.”
(With input from NYT, Bloomberg, AP)
