‘Raimondo’s arguments’ are pretending to be stupid by being ignorant of international trade – Dainik Savera Times

“Today’s cars are like ‘iPhone on wheels’.” Imagine millions of Chinese cars driving on the streets of America, “collecting” the data of millions of Americans every minute of every day, and then ‘sending’ it back to Beijing…” It is hard to imagine that these things would happen to Americans. Commerce Minister Gina Raimondo said.

As a senior official in charge of trade in the world’s only superpower, Raimondo has studied at Yale University and prestigious universities such as Oxford University and Harvard University, worked in the venture capital industry and served as governor. But now, she is crafting sensational comments in the form of novels. Is she ignorant of international economics and trade or is she just pretending?

As a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson wrote on foreign social media, “What (Raimondo’s words) mean is that iPhones, Tesla and even Boeing… are sending confidential data back to the US and they are not being processed by Washington in any way.” “Time can also be turned off.” Some foreign netizens also commented that Raimondo likes to “spread fear instead of having constructive discussions” and that “China-made cars are actually better and cheaper than American cars”…

Due to the high tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese cars, Chinese new energy vehicles are rarely seen on US roads. However, in the eyes of some American politicians, this is not enough. In December last year, the US had announced that electric vehicles produced in the US in 2024 would no longer benefit from tax breaks if they use battery components manufactured and assembled in China and other countries. At the end of February this year, the US government issued an announcement that it would conduct a so-called “national security risk review” of connected cars made in China. According to the New York Times, the US government has launched an investigation into so-called “security threats” in China’s electric vehicle technology. Additionally, the US government is considering further measures, including possibly increasing tariffs on Chinese cars to 25%.

America is a “country on wheels.” The automobile industry led the world in the 20th century, but gradually declined in the 21st century. In recent years, China’s new energy vehicles have continued to promote innovative research and development and have formed a complete industry chain system. In 2023, China’s new energy vehicle exports will reach 1.2 million units, an increase of nearly 80% year-on-year.

Chinese car company BYD overtook America’s Tesla in sales of pure electric vehicles in the fourth quarter of last year and took the top spot in the world for the first time. This “upset” some people in America. But instead of trying to improve technology and increase their competitiveness, they have taken up the baton of business. One of Raimondo’s main objectives in spreading false information is to create and manipulate public opinion to initiate protectionist policies relevant to the US.

In today’s era of economic globalization, free competition is the basic rule, and “I am among you, and you are among me” is the normal situation in which the economies of different countries are closely linked. Just as the iPhone cannot be manufactured by the US alone, it is impossible for the US to develop and expand its domestic electric vehicle industry in a “vacuum” state. Forced “de-coupling” will not only make automotive products more expensive in the US market, but also slow down the transition of American society from fuel vehicles to electric vehicles. Ultimately the interests of American consumers and the competitiveness of American industries suffer.

(Courtesy-China Media Group, Beijing)