1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. That deal may not 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: be feasible, and it's not feasible, then there is a 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: real escalation that leads to an economic war and eventually 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: can lead to a real war that there is square 5 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: facing with China. It's not a willingness to have a call, 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: but what happens next. 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: I'm Stephanie Flanders, head of Government and Economics at Bloomberg. 8 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: Welcome to Trumponomics, the podcast that looks at the economic 9 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: world of Donald Trump, how he's already shaped the global economy, 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: and what on earth is going to happen next. Well, 11 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 2: this week we're focusing on the all out trade war 12 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: that the Trump administration has kicked off with China, a 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 2: trade war that China seems to think it can win. 14 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: Just this week, Beijing escalated its class with Washington, ordering 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 2: Chinese airlines to halt new Boeing jet deliveries and banning 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 2: the export of some rare minerals to the US. That 17 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 2: comes after that mad bidding our tariff rates we've seen 18 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 2: since the start of the month, which saw US tariffs 19 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 2: on some goods go to one hundred and forty five percent. 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 2: China in return taking theirs to one hundred and twenty 21 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 2: five percent. Now, Donald Trump and members of the administration 22 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: believe they have the upper hand in this fight. China 23 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 2: needs our consumers and our money, as his press secretary 24 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 2: put it this week. If so, someone seems to have 25 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 2: forgotten to tell the Chinese. At every stage of this 26 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 2: tit for tat between the world's two largest economies, the 27 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 2: Chinese have seen confident, cocky even as far as I 28 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 2: can see, they've also been a bit more resolute. No exemptions, 29 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: no pauses. So is this all bluff? Chinese, after all, 30 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: are all about saving face? Or has Donald Trump picked 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: a fight here that the US could conceivably lose. Well, 32 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: I'm going to go through some of this with Dr 33 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: Neurial Ribini. Neuriel is a senior advisor Hudson Bay Capital 34 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 2: Management and Professor Emeritus of Economics at NYU Stern School 35 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: of Business. He's also a former advisor to the US treasurer, 36 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: where he worked with me, among others, the IMF and 37 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: World Bank. Neuriel, thank you very much for joining us. 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: Great being review Stephanie today a pleasure. 39 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: Let's start with the basics. We have focused quite a 40 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,399 Speaker 2: lot on the cost of the US economy of these 41 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: tariffs on China. But putting it simply, what does China 42 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: stand to lose in this fight? 43 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: Technically speaking, actually the impact on growth of this trade 44 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: war is more serious for China than it is for 45 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: the United States on impact before you consider any other 46 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: micropolicies that China and US can implement. And the reason 47 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: is that Chinese running a trade sort of relatively United 48 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,519 Speaker 1: States of about two percent of its GDP, while imports 49 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: from China for the United States are about one percent 50 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: of the US GDP. So, technically speaking, suppose that this 51 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: startive remain at the current level and we are having 52 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: a pure authorkey no trade within US and China. In 53 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: the extreme, the impact on Chinese growths are going to 54 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: be a negative two percent, while the impact on the 55 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: United States in principle will be only one percent. Of course, 56 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: the shock is also inflationary for the United States and 57 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: is deflationary for China. You have to consider that. But 58 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: actually the country that is running a trade service with 59 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: the United States has a bigger shock to their growth 60 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,839 Speaker 1: and demand than the United States. That's true for China, 61 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: is true for Europe, for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and 62 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: all other major trading partners that have with the United States. 63 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 2: That is obviously double Trump's point that they need us 64 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 2: more than we need them, and the fact that Bluebery 65 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 2: Economics has calculated similar kind of numbers to you. Even 66 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: at the initial level LITTL where they went to you 67 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: have more than two percent of GDP at risk in China. 68 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 2: They pretty much wipe out most of Chinese exports to 69 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 2: the US. But somehow they're still fighting and they seem 70 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 2: to think that actually their ability to withstand this might 71 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: be a bit greater than Americas. So I just I 72 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: wonder why do they seem to be standing so firm 73 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: in this sight? 74 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 1: The question is what are their policy reactions now to 75 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: reduce the impact on growth. China can do massive fiscal 76 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: stimulus while the US is in a fiscal contraction. Given 77 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: the needs of the best and administration to reduce the 78 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: badger devsit, China, because it's the deflationary shock, can do 79 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 1: massive monetary and credit easing instead. In the US, the 80 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: FED is going to stay on hold and we're not 81 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: going to get credit easy. More importantly, China also doesn't 82 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: face elections. She is in power for as long as 83 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: he wants to be, while Trump is gonna face Mitrum 84 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: election next year, so they can be more patient. China's 85 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: had all the philosophy of eating bitterness, meaning suffering for 86 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: the sake of the country. China can also retaliate, of course, 87 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: if China poses like they have similar tariffs to the 88 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,919 Speaker 1: US ones and one hundred and forty five for the 89 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: US one hundred and twenty five for China. There's no trade. 90 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: But China can do other things. China can restrict that 91 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: it started the exports of rare earth that are mostly 92 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: produced in China. China can reduce or cut off the 93 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: exports of refined metals, especially in dust selling great metals. 94 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: Seventy percent of all refinement of copper is done in China. 95 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: China can panic Apple, Tesla and other firms that invested 96 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: hundreds of billions of dollars from the US into China, 97 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: and China could also, potentially they've not done it so far, 98 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: they could use the potential nuclear weapon of essentially dumping 99 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: their treasury holdings, and they have a bit less than 100 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: a trillion of treasury holdings. That could shock, of course, 101 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: the bond market in the United States. There would be 102 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: subject to losses, but they could try to do that 103 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 1: as well, but then that will be the option of 104 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: last resorts. And finally, if this trade war becomes a 105 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: full scale economic war and China feels that they're being 106 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: contained and the US is trying to prevent the rise 107 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: of China economically, and even bastn't spoken about a strategy 108 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: of economic encirclement of China, meaning using friends and allies 109 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 1: and negotiation with them to then corner China. China may 110 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 1: even go after Taiwan. You know, the main reason why 111 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: China doesn't go after Taiwan right now is because they 112 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: know that there'll be massive trade sanction. Letter on the 113 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: potential of a war, but the potential of a war 114 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: is limited, while the potential of trade sanction is large. 115 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: But if US is already imposing such trade sanction that 116 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: there is not much ability of China to export, you 117 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: might as well go and take over in Taiwan. So 118 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: a trade war can escalate in a full scale economic war, 119 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: and a full scare economic war can escalate into a 120 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: real hot work as well. People don't seem to be 121 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: realizing that I. 122 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: Want to go through some of those options in a minute, 123 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: but I guess you know. There's also one point that's 124 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: worth making, which is China has already learnt from the 125 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 2: first Trump administration and indeed the tariffs that were maintained 126 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 2: and even increased under the Biden administration. They have now 127 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 2: had nearly a decade of recognizing that the US is 128 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 2: in a different place when it comes to China, and 129 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: in many ways their economy has also adapted, maybe even 130 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: a bit more than the US economy. As we were 131 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 2: looking at how they had managed to diversify it, it's 132 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 2: managed to diversify a little bit more away from the 133 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: US as the source of its export. Then the US 134 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 2: has managed to wean itself off China. There's that new 135 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: real it's just a stronger position now than it was 136 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 2: a few years ago because it's kind of seen as coming. 137 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: Absolutely they've done that. One capital make is that some 138 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: of that diversification export is now China, and not just 139 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: Chinese firms, but also American firms and others going for 140 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: a strategy of China plus one many not just producing China, 141 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: but other parts of Asia. Some of the final assembly 142 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: of many of these goods is done in Bangladesh, in Vietnam, 143 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: in Pakistan, you name it, and the US right now, 144 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: even if it reaches an agreement with Vietnam, Bangladesh, and 145 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: you name it on reducing the tariffs, they're going to 146 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: make sure that the local content criteria are strictly in forced. 147 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: So the China plus one strategy was a way for 148 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: both US and other multinacial to diversify the China is 149 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: but also for the Chinese to diversify. But now China 150 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: plus one doesn't work anymore because there'll be these types 151 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: of additional restrictions. 152 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and actually just on that we're recording this on 153 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 2: Wednesday morning, But overnight there was a Wall Street Journal 154 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 2: story that was talking about how the Trump administration is 155 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 2: wanting to make as part of its famous negotiations with 156 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 2: over seventy countries that are looking to do deals with 157 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 2: the US, one of the conditions that they're thinking about 158 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: is that they take more steps to separate from China. 159 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: When it comes to a lot of those countries in 160 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 2: Asia that are already have a very close trading relationship 161 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: and even a dependency relationship economically with China, how realistic 162 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: is that you're going to separate some of these economies Vietnam, Malaysia, 163 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: or these places from China in any kind of meaningful way. 164 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: Well, what the US can do, and that's legitimate, is 165 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 1: to say, if I do a deal with you, yes Nam, 166 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: and your tariffs are not anymore, say forty six percent, 167 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: they're going to be ten, fifteen, twenty, whatever the negative 168 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: is going to agree, then most of the stuff that 169 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 1: you export the US has to have local content. If 170 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: you take Chinese parts and you assemble them in Vietnam 171 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: and the value added is only, say twenty percent in 172 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: Vietnam and eighty percent China, then those goods are not 173 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,599 Speaker 1: going to be subject to the low tarifs. They'll be 174 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: subject to higher tariffs. Every trade dealer has this local 175 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: content criteria. So that's just something you can do and say, 176 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: this is not Vietnam is good. It's mostly Chinese good 177 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,719 Speaker 1: that pretends to be vietname is the same way in 178 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: which the Chinese exported to Mexico, and try to rerupt 179 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: it this way, so that can be enforced. The second 180 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: thing can be enforced, in my view, is that the 181 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: US can tell friends and allies that you need to 182 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: risk your relationship with China on stuff that has to 183 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: do with the key strategic technology like you know, things 184 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: like AI semiconduct or high tech and so on, and 185 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: the way to do it is already been done. When 186 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: Biden was living in January, there was an executive order 187 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: that essentially says what are the criteria for AI dicusion 188 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: And it has three buckets of countries. Here one countries 189 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: are friends and allies, and they have accessed to as 190 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: many advanced Navidia ships, they can build as many data 191 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: centers with advanced ships and use all the ais l 192 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: l ms and technology of the US. There are then 193 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: Tier three countries that are Russia, China or Korea run 194 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: and real rivals, and they cannot have access to any 195 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,479 Speaker 1: of those advanced ships. And there are here two countries 196 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: that are sort of enemies or friends but not trustworthy, 197 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: and say Dubai may not be able to get as 198 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: many in Navidio chips because maybe their data centers in 199 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: Dubai are not as safe as those say in Canada 200 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: or in Europe or whatever. So I think that part 201 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: of the strategy is going to be to try to 202 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: de risk the relationship with China and force people to 203 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: choose you want to be in Tier one or Tier 204 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: two or Tier three and If you decide to be 205 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: even in tier three, you're going to have less success 206 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: to US technology than you do, and then you have 207 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: to use Chinese technology. Friends and allies are going to 208 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: be in tier one, rivals are going to be in 209 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 1: tier three, and everybody else in the middle left to 210 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: decide to go with the Chinese AI or go with 211 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: the American AI, because the world will be essentially a 212 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: world of either US high tech or Chinese high tech, 213 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: and they're not going to be compatible with each other. 214 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: That's the world we're moving to. 215 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 2: I guess one question is whether China has already progressed 216 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 2: so far in some of these technologies that it's whether 217 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 2: it's practical to do that. But that's certainly what you've 218 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 2: described makes a lot of sense, and I would say 219 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 2: is also more consistent with the verse version of Donald 220 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 2: Trump's China policy that the Biden administration pursued. As long 221 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: as you can, as long as you can persuade all 222 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: these friends, that so called friends and allies that they 223 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 2: are indeed still your friends and allies, after you threatened 224 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: all this nasty stuff. 225 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: Well, you know, let's put this way, even after the nasty, 226 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: nasti stuff, NATO members, and Europeans and Canadians and Japan, 227 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: South Korea, Taiwan, they have no choice, no choice to 228 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: rely on the US because if they spend more on 229 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: the fence, then the security umbrella is going to remain. 230 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: And if the security Rombella remains and there is a 231 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: trade deal on reducing the current tariffs to say half 232 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: as much, say only ten percent for Europe rather than twenty, 233 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: or only ten twelve for Japan rather twenty four, these 234 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 1: countries have no choice but to stay in the sphere 235 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: of influence of the United States in terms of security. So, 236 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: in spite of the tension with Friends and Allies, my 237 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: baseline is one in which you reach a deal on security, 238 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: you spend more on defense all over the world Friends 239 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 1: and Allies, you buy more US weapons and US tech goods, 240 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: You buy more energy and energy from the United States, 241 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: more of there are goods, and you do other things. Therefore, 242 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: even technologically, Friends and Allies is going to be under 243 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: the technological order of the US, because in technology US 244 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: is number one, China is a closed second, but everybody 245 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: else is not number three or four. Europe is only 246 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: number ten. So they have no choice. They left to 247 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: accept to maintain and remain under the US security, trade, military, geopolitical, 248 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: and technological influence. I think that's going to be the outcome, 249 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: whether you like it or not. The idea the day 250 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: Europeans going to now embed themselves with China, I think 251 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: is totally ridiculous. It's totally far fetched. It's not gonna happen. 252 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 2: You're obviously right that the US does have still a 253 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 2: lot of means of persuasion, and it sort of reminds 254 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 2: me one of my colleagues, Josh Green, was saying, you know, 255 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: it's like it's the sort of Mara Lago version of 256 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 2: global trade, not Maura Largo, the currency core that we've 257 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 2: talked about on this show, but the cost of joining 258 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 2: the Mari Largo golf club was jacked up the moment 259 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 2: that Donald Trump even became the Republican nominee, that alone 260 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: winning the presidency, and there's a sort of pay to 261 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 2: play element to this. He has the same approach people 262 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 2: should have to pay to play in the US market. 263 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 2: So clearly the US has a lot cards, as Donald 264 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: Trump would say. But you identified at the beginning that 265 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 2: although the short term economic cost to China of this 266 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 2: war is obviously greater. They also have a greater macroeconomic 267 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: room to offset that. So if they have a hit 268 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: of two percent GDP, they can stimulate the economy in 269 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 2: other ways. They have room to do that. They don't 270 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 2: have an inflation problem as the US, so they also 271 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: have a capacity to sustain a bit of pain in 272 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 2: a way that potentially the US doesn't have. I just 273 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: want to test if it's willing to do things that 274 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: are not necessarily in its interest but it thinks will 275 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 2: be more likely to push the US to change course. 276 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 2: You know, does that include things like selling those holdings 277 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 2: of US bonds? How far can it go on? Things 278 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: like that, which people have often thought of, was the 279 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: kind of equivalent of the sort of going nuclear. They're 280 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: sitting on these enormous stocks of treasuries. Is it feasible 281 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 2: that they could sell a lot of those without just 282 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 2: inflicting too much pain on themselves. 283 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: It's an option, but in my view, is an option 284 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: of last resort after they've used all the other things 285 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: we discussed, because there is a meaningful economic cost to them. 286 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: The economic costs are the following. If you sell treasuries, 287 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: depending on their duration, you have a market to market 288 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: loss because bond years will be higher, and then you're 289 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: having a loss on the existing stock of your treasury. 290 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: Number one. Number two, If you sell treasuries and you 291 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: convert those dollars into R and B, the R and 292 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: B appreciates, and what you're trying to do in China 293 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: is actually having a depreciation of the R and B 294 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,719 Speaker 1: as the way of compensating for the trade shop. So 295 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 1: you're hurting yourself if you're selling treasury and you don't 296 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: buy RMB, you have to buy other currencies. If you 297 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: buy yen, euro s with frengths and you name it, 298 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: you are forcing an appreciation of yen and euro relative 299 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 1: to US dollar, and you're going to create trade fiction, 300 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: if not a trade war with Japan, with Taiwan, South Korea, 301 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: with Europe or whoever. And at the time where you 302 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: actually are trying to divide these countries from you because 303 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: you're forcing an appreciation of this currency and you're transferring 304 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 1: them the trade tariff risk to them. If instead, the 305 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,719 Speaker 1: last thing you can do, probably if you cannot essentially 306 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: sell treasury and buy RMB because it appreciates your currency, 307 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: or damage your relations with their trading partners like Europe 308 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,479 Speaker 1: in Asia, you can sell the treasure is then buy gold, 309 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: and that's what China and other strategic rivals of the 310 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: US have been doing, and that's why gold has gone higher, 311 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: because if you think about it, the only global reserve act, 312 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: of course, is the asset. Liquid asset is not a 313 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: currency that cannot be seized by the US, is a 314 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: liquid bullion because we saw in the case of Russia Ukraine, 315 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: not just dollars but euro yenes, it's frank pounds were seized, 316 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: and therefore the only one that they cannot seize is 317 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: gold bullion. But gold bullion that you keep in the 318 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: basement of the PBOC if you're buying GLD, that is 319 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: the financial version of gold. Of course, that can even 320 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: be seized or controlled or whatever. So that's I think 321 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: what's the most likely scenario. If they decide to sell treasury, 322 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: they still get the loss marked to market on the 323 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 1: value of those bonds, but maybe the best thing to 324 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: do will be gold rather than R and B or 325 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: rather the other current. I think that's a possibility. They 326 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: already been doing it for a while because if things 327 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: escalated in the US and China, one of the things 328 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: the US can do, of course, is to seize their 329 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: holdings of treasury the same way the holdings of treasuries 330 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 1: of Russia over sees the same way. Similar transaction restriction 331 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: occur for North Korea, run and you name it. So 332 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: that's a mutual thread. The Chinese can use that nuclear 333 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: weapon or nuclear threats, but the US can use the 334 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 1: counter nuclear threat of seizing those assets. The game of 335 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 1: chicken between the two sides. 336 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 2: On one side doesn't have an election coming up, in fact, 337 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 2: will be around for the foreseeable future. 338 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,919 Speaker 1: That's true on the other side. As I said, a 339 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 1: huge amount of the manufacturing of China two percent of GDP, 340 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: but the larger fraction of the manufacturering is thirty percent 341 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,719 Speaker 1: of GDP, is expert to the US. Suppose this factory 342 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: all have to shut down because you're not going to 343 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: be able to reroute those experts to other countries because 344 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 1: other countries will have the same problem access supply. That 345 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: access supply implies that part of their industrial base manufacturing 346 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: is obsolete, is essentially stranded asset, and that's a huge 347 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: cost in terms of capital losses, but the bigger loss 348 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: in terms of jobs, massive job losses. Unless against China 349 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: does staff to increase domestic consumption and consumption of services, 350 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: and those factory workers may become eventually over time service workers. 351 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 1: You can do it over a medium term of a 352 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: few years, you cannot do it in twelve months. So 353 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: both sides have capability and threats, and both sides have 354 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: significant upside costs and risk. It got both ways. But 355 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: you're right that's in Pin doesn't face election. But you know, 356 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,959 Speaker 1: as we saw during COVID, when people become restless, they 357 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: can go in the streets, even in China, and millions 358 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: of unemployed the factory workers could be a threat, even 359 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: in the case of China. So it's not as if 360 00:20:56,359 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: political pressures are zero in China and are simile in 361 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 1: the United States. It's a bit more complicated than that. 362 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 2: Final question, Neil. I think some have been surprised in 363 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 2: the last few weeks at China's apparent willingness to dig 364 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 2: in and not blink as perhaps they have in some 365 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: past rounds. Even earlier this year, they were responding in 366 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 2: a quite measured way to the initial tariffs that Donald 367 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 2: Trump would put on. Do you think that this will change, 368 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 2: that they will ultimately come to the table as Donald 369 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 2: Trump's people would say, or is there something a bit 370 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 2: different now? Have the state's been just raised too high 371 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 2: in terms of their face apart from anything else. 372 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: Well, you know, there's a game of chicken between Trump 373 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: and Shape, and there is a third person in this 374 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: game of chicken, is how well as well? As I said, 375 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: and I've said for a while, that they strike a 376 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: price for a Trump put is a price much higher 377 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: for the power put and is also much higher than 378 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: for the fishing pin put. Meaning Trump is going to 379 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: blink before the Fed and Trump is going to blink 380 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 1: before Jipin. Guess what Trump has been blinking by starting 381 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: negotiations with friends, allies and enemies seventy countries. The exception 382 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,719 Speaker 1: is China power is not blinked so far, and it's 383 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,160 Speaker 1: unlikely to blink. And this game of chicken between Trump 384 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: and she Himpin is continuing. But in the short run 385 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: the Chinese can be more patient. Trump is saying, is 386 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 1: waiting for a call from Jimpin. Su Jianpin is saying, 387 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: you started this tread war. Maybe you should make a call. 388 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,719 Speaker 1: The point is not whether you make a call. The 389 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: backside channels through which people can organize a phone call 390 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: within SI and Trump. That may happen, but even that's 391 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,679 Speaker 1: not the issue. There can be a phone call, you 392 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: can have the beginning of negotiation to the escalate. But 393 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: the problem is that the sets of policies that may 394 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: be acceptable to Trump might be empty or a null 395 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: set compared to the sets of policy that are acceptable 396 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: to shish in Pin. Because like last summer around, it's 397 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: not just about tariffs. It's also about non tariff restrictions, 398 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: about restriction to SDI, is about joint ventures, it is 399 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,480 Speaker 1: about intellectual property rights, It's about government properement. Is about 400 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: the fact that China subsidized experts, low wages, the cost 401 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 1: of capital, the cost of energy, the cost of water, 402 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: the cost of land, pretty much subsidize everything for the 403 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: last decades. Telling China give up on state capitalism and 404 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: become a true market economy without any of these policies, 405 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: it is something that is not acceptable. The problem is 406 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: that the kind of deal that US wants is to 407 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: win essentially fully the economic world with China, and Chinese 408 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: has got consider that one as a strategy of full 409 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: economic containment of the rise of China. So even if 410 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,919 Speaker 1: they sit down, I fear that instead of a grand 411 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 1: bargain in which you the risk on technology, but you 412 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: don't decouple and everything else. That deal may not be feasible, 413 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,640 Speaker 1: and if not feasible, then there is a real escalation 414 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: that leads to an economic war and eventually can lead 415 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 1: to a real war. That's there is square facing with China. 416 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 1: It's not a willingness to have a call, but what 417 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: happens next. 418 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 2: Jenny welsh, our chief geoeconomics analyst who was the Taiwan 419 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: advisor in President Biden's National Security Council, wrote a piece 420 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 2: with the headline last week, I dealt with China. Here's 421 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 2: why they'll fight. After years of sitting across the table 422 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: from Beijing and official negotiations, I've learned this. They guard 423 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 2: their pride, drive a hard bargain, and play the long game. 424 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 2: I guess we're going to find out whether Donald Trump 425 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: can do those things. No, Rabini, thank you so much. 426 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: That was great, great being with you, Stephanie. 427 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 2: That thanks a lot. Thanks for listening to Trump Noomics 428 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 2: from Bloomberg. It was hosted by me, Stephanie Flanders, and 429 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:06,479 Speaker 2: I was joined by Nurial Rubini. Trumpelomics is produced by 430 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 2: Samasadi and Moses and with help from Chris Martin and 431 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 2: Amy Keene. Special thanks to Flora Pine and sound design 432 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: has been done by Blake Maples. Brendan Francis Newnham is 433 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 2: our executive producer and please to help others find the show, 434 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,479 Speaker 2: please rate and review it wherever you listen to your 435 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 2: podcast