U.S. tariff stick 'smashes rice bowls' of its own citizens

Cartoon by Ma Hongliang

Imposing additional tariffs on foreign imports without regard for the consequences, the U.S. is not only disrupting global trade and economic order but also hurting its own citizens—essentially shooting itself in the foot.

In recent months, the U.S. government has introduced a series of new tariff policies, repeatedly wielding the tariff stick with little concern for the broader impact.

The frequent and erratic changes to its tariff policies have increased economic uncertainty, causing chaos and panic in sectors like agriculture and business, and putting immense pressure on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The country's reckless tariffs have raised costs for its SMEs, making it harder for them to survive, with some being forced to shut their doors.

Average American consumers are also feeling the pinch due to rising living costs. Major brick-and-mortar retailers like Walmart and e-commerce platforms including Amazon have raised prices, leading to a steady increase in living costs across the board.

A study conducted by the Budget Lab at Yale revealed that the tariff measures implemented by the U.S. government this year have driven up consumer prices by 2.3 percent, consequently eroding the purchasing power of each American household by an average of $3,800.