SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Apple and America’s top automakers could be among the U.S. businesses hit the hardest if President-elect Donald Trump decides to play hardball with China on the trade front.
While it remains to be seen what a Trump administration’s foreign policy would look like, that hasn’t stopped the Global Times, one of China’s most notable government mouthpieces, from giving its take.
“China will take a tit-for-tat approach then. A batch of Boeing orders will be replaced by Airbus. U.S. auto and iPhone sales in China will suffer a setback, and U.S. soybean and maize imports will be halted. China can also limit the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S.,” the paper wrote.
The paper suggested it was a win-win for all parties involved to keep things as they are, adding that there’s far too much at stake to do otherwise.
“Trump as a shrewd businessman will not be so naïve. None of the previous presidents were bold enough to launch an all-out trade war against China. They all opted for a cautious line since it’s most consistent with the overall interests of the U.S., and it’s most acceptable to U.S. society,” the editorial added.
The article was published just moments after Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping communicated for the first time following the election result. Chinese media reported that the two have made plans to meet “at an early date.”
Trump has never been short on words publicly regarding Apple and China, demanding that the iPhone-maker produce its devices in its homeland rather than overseas. He also called for a boycott of its products after it rejected government requests to unlock the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.
In a memo sent out to employees last week by chief executive Tim Cook, they were urged to “move forward together” in spite of the political division in America right now. Cook didn’t make mention of Trump by name, nor did he address the President-elect’s past comments about Apple.
