The Inside Story Podcast What tactics did China and the US use in their trade war?
Oct 31, 2025
Andy Mok, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and William Lee, chief economist at the Milken Institute, delve into the tactics of the U.S.-China trade war. They discuss China's ambitious long-term goals and the implications of recent concessions. The trio debates whether the U.S. is retreating or just pragmatically de-escalating, while exploring the precarious nature of the truce and the potential roadblocks posed by Taiwan and security issues.
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U.S. Sees Engagement, Not Containment
- William Lee says U.S. policy frames China as a threat but U.S. interest has been to supply technologies and services to help China modernize.
- He disputes Beijing's narrative that the U.S. seeks to contain China outright.
A Temporary, Non-Binding Truce
- Neil Thomas calls the South Korea meeting a non-binding truce, far from a lasting armistice between the U.S. and China.
- He frames it as temporary détente, likely punctured by future disputes.
China's Multiple Leverage Points
- Andy Mok lists Chinese leverage points: rare earths, soybeans, Boeing sales, APIs and pharmaceuticals.
- He argues these economic levers force the U.S. to accept China as a peer with comparable heft.