Trump wants to whack Chinese firms. How badly could he hurt them?
History provides a guide
A few months before America’s presidential election in 1980, George H.W. Bush paid a visit to Beijing. He got a frosty reception. Days earlier, Bush’s running mate, Ronald Reagan, had angered China by saying that he wanted an official relationship with Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. America should stay out of China’s “internal affairs”, said its foreign minister—just as China would not meddle in America’s presidential race.
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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Lessons from history”
Finance & economics February 24th 2024
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