By Angelo Giuliano
The U.S.-China tariff conflict, intensified in 2025 with U.S. tariffs on over $360 billion of Chinese goods and countered by China's calculated $110 billion in retaliatory tariffs, serves as a powerful lens to examine the profound cultural, philosophical, and value-based divide between the West and China. The U.S. cloaks its tariffs in rhetoric about trade deficits and intellectual property disputes, but this aggressive policy stems from a Western culture of selfish individualism that prioritizes personal ambition and fleeting victories over collective progress. This ethos breeds division and shortsightedness, undermining societal cohesion. In stark contrast, China's collectivist framework, grounded in Confucian harmony, Yin-Yang balance, the Middle Way, and Sun Tzu's Art of War, reflects a unified vision where individuals dedicate themselves to the nation's collective destiny and a broader project of global stability and mutual prosperity. This clash—U.S. poker-style recklessness versus China's masterful Go strategy—highlights China's cultural and philosophical superiority over the U.S.'s coercive tactics.
China's resilience is deeply rooted in its "Century of Humiliation" (1839-1949), a period of profound trauma when Western powers, through events like Britain's Opium Wars (1839-1842, 1856-1860), plundered its sovereignty, imposed unequal treaties, and seized Hong Kong. These indignities, compounded by Japanese invasions, forged an unyielding resolve to restore national dignity and unity. Since 1949, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has led this revival, transforming China into a global powerhouse. The 2025 U.S. tariffs, echoing past imperialist aggressions, are ineffective against a nation whose citizens are united in a shared mission of rejuvenation. Initiatives like "Made in China 2025" and the Belt and Road Initiative exemplify China's collectivist vision, channeling individual efforts into a national and global endeavor to foster innovation, self-reliance, and cooperative partnerships. These efforts starkly contrast with the U.S.'s aggressive containment strategy, which seeks to suppress China's rise through economic coercion, revealing a lack of cultural depth.
Culturally, China's collectivism, steeped in Confucian principles, emphasizes social harmony, respect for hierarchy, and guanxi (trust-based relationships). Chinese individuals view their contributions as integral to the nation's collective strength, prioritizing the broader project of global influence and domestic prosperity over personal gain. This unity fosters resilience, enabling China to withstand external pressures. Conversely, Western values, particularly in the U.S., are marred by selfish individualism, fueling greed, hyper-competition, and disregard for communal welfare. This me-first mentality manifests in rampant inequality, polarized communities, and eroded public trust, weakening the U.S.'s social fabric. It also drives aggressive policies, such as the 2025 tariffs, which alienate partners with confrontational rhetoric. The U.S.'s poker-like diplomacy, betting on short-term wins, lacks the nuance of China's face-saving approach, which builds trade networks through mutual respect. China's Go-like strategy—encircling adversaries for long-term dominance—outmaneuvers the U.S.'s myopic individualism.
Philosophically, China's Yin-Yang perspective frames tariffs as dualities: challenges and opportunities. This outlook empowers China to adapt, redirecting trade and accelerating innovation to neutralize U.S. pressure, with citizens rallying behind national goals. The Middle Way, inspired by Buddhist moderation, ensures China avoids reckless escalation, maintaining stability. Sun Tzu's Art of War informs China's approach—prevailing without conflict by leveraging shi (strategic momentum). In contrast, the U.S.'s zero-sum philosophy, rooted in individualistic greed, drives its aggressive tariffs, disrupting global harmony for temporary gains. The negative consequences of Western individualism—widening divides, declining unity, and prioritizing profit over collective good—undermine the U.S.'s strategy. The $690 billion in U.S.-China bilateral trade in 2022, a baseline for interdependence, exposes the futility of U.S. decoupling efforts, driven by a misguided belief in Western superiority.
The 2025 tariff war lays bare the U.S.'s cultural flaws against China's brilliance. While the U.S. pursues Cold War-style containment, fueled by individualistic hubris, China's 5,000-year history of overcoming adversity fuels its confidence to outlast American policies. Chinese citizens, united in the CPC's vision, contribute to diversifying markets and advancing technology, transforming tariffs into catalysts for growth. The U.S.'s individualism fosters entitlement and division, eroding its credibility.
In conclusion, the 2025 tariff conflict reveals a clash of values: the U.S.'s selfish individualism, breeding division, versus China's collectivism, where individuals contribute to a project of harmony. Guided by Confucian principles, Yin-Yang, the Middle Way, and Sun Tzu, China outplays U.S. poker gambits with Go's mastery. Rooted in endurance and a unified vision led by the CPC, China's supremacy positions it as a global leader, while U.S. policies falter under cultural limitations.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Angelo Giuliano:
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Opinion | Economic and geopolitical consequences of U.S. tariffs on China
Opinion | The U.S. tariff playbook: Asymmetric power, Trump's gamble, and risks of economic warfare
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