What does China make of the chaos in the U.S.?

On Point | Podcast

WBUR

Talk Show, Daily News, News, Npr, On Point, Daily

4.2 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Escalating trade wars, disputes with allies, group chats with top U.S. officials' attack plans. What does the second Trump administration look like from China?

Transcript

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0:32.4	WBUR Podcasts. Boston.
0:43.7	This is on point. I'm Magna Chakrabardi.
0:50.2	On March 4th, Lin-Jan, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing, said this. Quote, if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end.
1:05.1	End quote.
1:06.7	Well, that remark came just after President Donald Trump had hiked tariffs on Chinese imports by 10% on top of the 10% he imposed in February.
1:17.3	China retaliated with a 15% tariff on U.S. grown chicken, wheat, corn, and cotton.
1:23.6	It also added a 10% tariff on products like U.S. soybeans, pork and beef.
1:29.4	Then on March 20th, the New York Times reported the Pentagon plan to brief Elon Musk
1:35.3	on the military's plan if the U.S. were to go to war with China.
1:41.1	Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth denied the story at a briefing the next day.
1:45.7	You know, you're talking about a potential war with China.
1:50.2	Now, I deal with these people all the time, and I'm dealing with Pete.
1:54.8	I'm dealing with these gentlemen on numerous different airplane purchases,
1:58.8	and I think they're all going to be great.
2:05.7	But I don't want other people seeing anybody seeing potential war with China.
2:10.3	We don't want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you, if we did, we're very well equipped to handle it.
	...

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