By: Yuting Lin
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump said that if he were to win the 2024 election, he would add new tariffs on goods from other countries, especially from China. Now, some Chinese products already have tariffs as high as 125%. Trump’s goal is to make foreign products more expensive, so Americans will buy more “made in USA” products instead of the products from other countries, and thus support American workers. Trump believes this will help American factories earn more money and hire more American workers. He also wants the U.S. to depend less on other countries.
But this kind of policy also brings risks. First, when tariffs go up, prices usually go up too. That means people in the U.S. may have to pay more for everyday items like clothes, electronics, and even food. Life could become more expensive, especially for families with lower incomes. Many people are already struggling to live with the current prices. If prices rise even further while their wages stay the same, they may find it impossible to survive. Some might even end up homeless, living on the streets. This could also lead to a larger problem: a potential economic collapse.
Also, China has responded by raising tariffs on American goods to 125% as well. This kind of situation is called a “trade war.” In a trade war, both countries keep raising taxes on each other’s products, which will end up hurting businesses in both countries. Companies may lose money, sell less, and even have to lay off workers. This could lead to a decline in social morals, triggering a “butterfly effect” of other negative consequences. In 2018 and 2019, when Trump added tariffs on Chinese goods, some American farmers and companies suffered because China stopped buying from them. Some jobs were lost instead of saved. Tariffs can have bad results for workers and companies quite frequently.
If this continues, it can lead to inflation in the U.S. getting worse, meaning prices keep rising, the stock market might go down, people could lose money, and U.S.-China relations could become more tense, making cooperation harder in the future.
In the end, I think both countries should focus on helping the people in their countries live better lives, not on fighting each other with tariffs. Trade wars don’t really have winners; both sides lose something. No matter who wins a war, it’s always the people who pay the highest price. Higher prices, fewer jobs, and more stress on people are not results anyone wants. Instead of using force, it’s better to use communication. If leaders care about their people, then they should find a smart and peaceful way to solve problems. I really hope countries can work together, instead of against each other, and build a better world for everyone.