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Asia Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Asia Times
Trump failing to grasp China's long-game trade war tactics
As US and Chinese representatives prepare to meet in Switzerland in an effort to ease their escalating trade war, a potential sign of Beijing's approach has emerged in an opinion piece published in the state-owned journal Beijing Daily. Articles in the publication are often seen as a reflection of Beijing's official stance. The latest piece – Today, it is necessary to revisit 'On Protracted War' – argues that the trade war is an American attempt to strangle China's economic growth and that it is necessary to perceive the current trade tensions as a long-term development. What's particularly important here is that the title refers to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong's 1938 essay 'On Protracted War', a piece of writing that set out Mao's approach to combating the invading Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War between 1937 and 1945. This strategy was also key to the subsequent establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, after the communist victory in the long-running Chinese civil war. Mao became the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1943 until his death in 1976 and created a set of political theories referred to as Maoism. He wrote extensively on political strategy. Chinese policymakers and media figures often invoke the nation's history to justify domestic and foreign policy. And the decision to reference Mao's text reflects not only China's strategy in the current trade war but also the lasting influence of his ideas. Mao's 1938 essay described a struggle that might seem, at first glance, a world away from the current China/US tariff conflict. His key thesis was that guerrilla warfare was a long-term affair with little chance for a quick victory. Mao's argument was that a war of attrition would end with a Chinese victory as it would slowly bleed the conventionally stronger Japanese forces of resources. Such an approach has been a key feature of insurgencies throughout the modern world, with movements such as the Taliban in Afghanistan using the long war of attrition against larger or more technologically advanced foes. By invoking On Protracted War, it would appear that Beijing perceives its economic struggles with the US as a conflict without a swift resolution, something that may come as a shock to Donald Trump, who is clearly signaling that he now wants a deal. This long-view approach has also been reflected in how Beijing has been preparing for a second Trump trade war ever since its experiences in the first Trump presidency. In contrast to China, the US administration appears to have banked on the trade war being a comparatively brief affair that should be ended by a quick and decisive knock-out blow against Beijing. And a public relations coup for Trump. This explains the showmanship behind the 'Liberation Day' announcements and the speed at which Washington deployed its key moves. But by preparing its citizens for a protracted trade war, it would appear that China's strategy, similarly to Mao's, is to slow down the process and grind out the best deal it can over time. Beijing believes that Chinese consumers are more capable of 'eating bitterness' (coping with hardship) than Americans. So, US diplomats would be well advised to dip into 'On Protracted War' to understand more of China's President Xi's intentions. However, this is not the only way in which Mao's strategies are relevant to global politics right now. Another of Mao's political ideas was what he termed the 'people's war.' This envisioned a slow movement where one group creates 'shadow institutions' that gradually displace established ones in order to build support from the local population. This echoes part of China's approach to globalization, where China has supported or created alternatives to US-led institutions. Many of Beijing's international institutions, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Belt and Road Initiative, are created to be alternatives to more established international bodies, such as the IMF and the World Bank. These Beijing felt were too dominated by the US. While China has worked on this policy for decades, it seems to chime with Trump's lack of commitment to US involvement in international institutions, such as the IMF and NATO. In this aspect of international politics, Xi and Trump seem to have somewhat similar goals, and could open up more space for Chinese leadership of these institutions. It's becoming clear that the Trump administration has severely miscalculated by assuming that Beijing would quickly capitulate, showing a lack of understanding of Chinese culture and political history. The expected instant deal has failed to materialize, and US stores are now warning that shelves may soon be empty of many goods. The trade war has become a war of attrition, and whatever moves Xi makes now are likely to be only his first in what he sees as a very long game, in the great Maoist tradition. Tom Harper is lecturer in international relations, University of East London This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
South China Morning Post
29-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Mao's protracted war insights offered as inspiration in US-China trade conflict
China's state media has urged the public to revisit Mao Zedong's famous 1938 essay 'On Protracted War', saying that it offers 'great inspiration for the international struggles of the new era' amid the protracted economic hostilities with the US. Advertisement Beijing Daily said on Monday that Mao's essay, a commentary on China's war against Japanese aggression , would encourage people to remain confident of eventual victory in the tariff war. The call to throw off attitudes of a defeatist mindset as well as the illusions of a quick win came nearly a month after the Donald Trump administration's 'Liberation Day' tariff plan, which triggered an escalating tit-for-tat trade battle between China and the US. Washington has imposed tariffs totalling 145 per cent on goods from China so far this year, bringing the effective tariff rate to about 156 per cent. Beijing has responded with a rise to 125 per cent in duties on its imports from the US. 'The situation has evolved far beyond what the US side anticipated,' the commentary said in the Beijing Daily, mouthpiece for the ruling party's municipal committee in the capital. Advertisement 'Not only was the Chinese government the first to clearly state the firm stance of 'fighting to the end', but the voices from the international community opposing bullying have also grown louder.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation center, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon. 'I don't want to boast but I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong's sporting achievements,' Tang said, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
CNN
19-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation center, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon. 'I don't want to boast but I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong's sporting achievements,' Tang said, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
CNN
19-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Chinese robots ran against humans in the world's first humanoid half-marathon. They lost by a mile
If the idea of robots taking on humans in a road race conjures dystopian images of android athletic supremacy, then fear not, for now at least. More than 20 two-legged robots competed in the world's first humanoid half-marathon in China on Saturday, and – though technologically impressive – they were far from outrunning their human masters over the long distance. Teams from several companies and universities took part in the race, a showcase of China's advances on humanoid technology as it plays catch-up with the US, which still boasts the more sophisticated models. And the chief of the winning team said their robot – though bested by the humans in this particular race – was a match for similar models from the West, at a time when the race to perfect humanoid technology is hotting up. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, the robots jogged through Beijing's southeastern Yizhuang district, home to many of the capital's tech firms. Over the past few months, videos of China's humanoid robots performing bike rides, roundhouse kicks and side flips have blown up the internet, often amplified by state media as a key potential driver of economic growth. In a 2023 policy document, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology identified the humanoid robotics industry as a 'new frontier in technological competition,' setting a 2025 target for mass production and secure supply chains for core components. Fears have mounted in recent years about how artificial intelligence – and robots – may one day outsmart humans. And while AI models are fast gaining ground, sparking concern for everything from security to the future of work, Saturday's race suggested that humans still at least have the upper hand when it comes to running. The robots were pitted against 12,000 human contestants, running side by side with them in a fenced-off lane. After setting off from a country park, participating robots had to overcome slight slopes and a winding 21-kilometer (13-mile) circuit before they could reach the finish line, according to state-run outlet Beijing Daily. Just as human runners needed to replenish themselves with water, robot contestants were allowed to get new batteries during the race. Companies were also allowed to swap their androids with substitutes when they could no longer compete, though each substitution came with a 10-minute penalty. The first robot across the finish line, Tiangong Ultra – created by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center – finished the route in two hours and 40 minutes. That's nearly two hours short of the human world record of 56:42, held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The winner of the men's race on Saturday finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Tang Jian, chief technology officer for the robotics innovation center, said Tiangong Ultra's performance was aided by long legs and an algorithm allowing it to imitate how humans run a marathon. 'I don't want to boast but I think no other robotics firms in the West have matched Tiangong's sporting achievements,' Tang said, according to the Reuters news agency, adding that the robot switched batteries just three times during the race. The 1.8-meter robot came across a few challenges during the race, which involved the multiple battery changes. It also needed a helper to run alongside it with his hands hovering around his back, in case of a fall. Most of the robots required this kind of support, with a few tied to a leash. Some were led by a remote control. Amateur human contestants running in the other lane had no difficulty keeping up, with the curious among them taking out their phones to capture the robotic encounters as they raced along.
