"Supply chain warfare" -- a thief-crying-stop-thief stunt

At a time of rising uncertainty and unpredictability, stable supply chains are critical for managing costs, boosting economic efficiency, and sharing growth opportunities around the world.

by Yi Xin

Where there is smoke, there is fire. If you do not see a flame, consider why it is smothered.

In a recent article, The New York Times slammed China as "waging supply chain warfare" by imposing sanctions on U.S. drone company Skydio, without mentioning the company's involvement in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which violates China's sovereignty and the China-U.S. joint communiques.

This is but another stock-in-trade of some Western media outlets -- twisting the facts to please their readers or sponsors.

While we are on the subject of "supply chain warfare," we might as well take stock of the real situation to identify who the instigator is.

In 2018 alone, the United States imposed tariffs on as much as 250 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports, covering consumer goods, electronics, and industrial products, even though American importers and consumers bore nearly 93 percent of the tariffs' costs.

While escalating the trade war with China the next year, the United States shifted its focus to supply chains. Advanced technology, pharmaceuticals, and other strategic industries became the target. Restrictions were imposed on private companies such as Huawei.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of global supply chains, underlining the necessity to reinforce them. Yet the U.S. government still pushed forward the reshoring of manufacturing, causing distress for American producers dependent on components not manufactured domestically.

In 2022, the U.S. Congress enacted the CHIPS and Science Act as part of its broader strategy to block China's access to cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing. This month, Washington announced a new semiconductor export control package against China, curbing exports to 140 companies. These policies raise questions about what future measures might be forthcoming.

The America-First supply chain aggressions against China punish rather than protect Americans. At a time of rising uncertainty and unpredictability, stable supply chains are critical for managing costs, boosting economic efficiency, and sharing growth opportunities around the world.

China's commitment to high-standard opening up and stable global supply chains provides a win-win alternative to "America First."

The China International Supply Chain Expo, the world's first supply chain-themed expo, is part of China's efforts to contribute to stable global supply chains for the benefit of all. The expo promotes trade, investment, and innovation by connecting companies along the upstream, midstream, and downstream of supply chains.

This year's expo attracted more than 600 companies from some 70 countries and regions, with foreign exhibitors making up a third of the participants. Fortune Global 500 and industry leaders accounted for over 60 percent of attendees, and American companies topped the list. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the company "could not do what it does without" its Chinese partners as over 80 percent of its 200-plus major suppliers operate in China.

The expo showed that healthy collaboration along supply chain can spark ingenuity and make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

A prime example of this is the joint effort between British-Australian mining corporation Rio Tinto, Shanghai-headquartered China Baowu Steel Group, German engineering giant Bosch and Chinese EV maker XPENG. Together, they set up a booth at the smart vehicle exhibition area to showcase the results of their cooperation. "Beyond simple transactions, we also engage in joint research and development projects and collaborative innovation with our partners," said a staffer at XPENG.

Globally, China has helped address choke points in international supply chains by laying the groundwork for streamlined logistics. The recently-inaugurated Chancay Port in Peru, a Belt and Road Initiative cooperation project, is expected to significantly reduce shipping time from Chancay to Shanghai while cutting costs by at least 20 percent.

Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 24 years ago, Chinese companies have built or upgraded some 10,000 km of railways, 100,000 km of highways, 1,000 bridges, and 100 ports in Africa, helping connect Africans with the world. Since last year, the United States has pitched in on the Lobito Corridor in Angola to ship critical minerals for U.S. strategic industries.

Research from the World Bank indicates that a 1-percent increase in global value chain participation raises global per capita income by over 1 percent. As the world battles rising unilateralism and protectionism, stable, open, and collaborative supply chains are increasingly vital for humanity's shared prosperity. It is never too late to join hands with China in contributing to it.

Editor's note: Yi Xin is a Beijing-based observer of international affairs.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.