Xinhua
02 Apr 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump walks toward the South Lawn to board Marine One at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 21, 2025.(Xinhua/Hu Yousong)When the world's largest economy prioritizes its own interest over the common good, the repercussions transcend borders and generations.by writer Xin PingBEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to the United States, "tariff" has become one of the top buzzwords in international politics.In rapid succession, the White House has announced 25 percent tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum, slapped additional tariffs on Chinese imports and threatened reciprocal tariffs against all foreign trading partners. These actions have sparked immediate and almost unanimous opposition from the international community, with many countries pledging countermeasures while grappling to understand the underlying objectives behind these policies.Even more perplexing for policymakers outside North America is that the policies strike hardest at Canada and Mexico, with both subject to 25 percent tariffs without exemptions. This begs the question: What happened to decades of neighborly cooperation? And do these measures truly serve American interests, as politicians have claimed?The answer is a flat no.A five-hundred Mexican peso banknote is pictured with one-hundred U.S. dollar bills in Mexico City, Mexico, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)TRILATERAL PARTNERSHIP DESTROYEDFor decades, the trilateral partnership between the United States, Canada and Mexico has fostered deeply integrated networks across economic sectors, driving sustained growth in all three nations.Take a look at the statistics: In 2024, over 80 percent of Mexico's exports were destined for the United States. In the first three quarters, bilateral trade between the United States and Mexico totaled some 630 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for a record 15.9 percent of U.S. foreign trade. For Canada, 75 percent of its exports were directed southward, with crude oil and natural gas taking up a significant portion. Conversely, 18 percent of U.S. exports went to Canada.The automotive sector stands as the most compelling testament to this interdependence. Forged under the North American Free Trade Agreement and further shaped through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, North America's auto industry operates as an intricately interconnected production chain, with components crossing borders multiple times before final assembly. Official data show that in 2024, Mexico produced a record number of nearly 4 million light vehicles, with a majority destined for the United States. From January to November 2024, the United States imported 87 billion dollars' worth of vehicles and 64 billion dollars in auto parts from Mexico. Canada also exported about 90 billion U.S. dollars in auto parts to the United States in 2024.To put it simply: Canadian resources + Mexican labor + American capital/technology = North America's golden economic formula.A "Shop Canadian" sign is seen at a supermarket in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, March 4, 2025. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)"AMERICA ONLY"Despite the clear benefits of this symbiotic relationship, the United States appears determined to dismantle it, under the populist slogan of "bringing our money back."However, this is both factually flawed and morally questionable. According to a Canadian think tank, a 25 percent tariff could result in a 5- to 8-percent decline in U.S. exports to Canada, and an even more substantial 10- to 15-percent dip the other way around. While these figures may seem abstract, the real impacts are directly felt by ordinary people: Factories reliant on cross-border trade lay off workers when orders drop.The implications of the ongoing tariff disputes extend far beyond North America. In addition to immediate losses, tariffs undermine international economic predictability and jeopardize long-term competitiveness.If cross-border economic networks in North America -- painstakingly built over 30 years and proven beneficial to all three countries -- could be dismantled by a simple executive order, what would happen to other bilateral and multilateral trade commitments the United States has? Is the United States still a reliable economic partner? Should the world brace for a United States that practices not just "America First" but "America Only?"People walk past a sign displaying the dollar exchange rate at a bank branch in Mexico City, Mexico, on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Francisco Canedo/Xinhua)WORLD IS WATCHINGThe international community is now closely examining Washington's new trade policies, trying to understand the real intentions behind them. Each tariff hike reveals a paradox: As the United States increasingly wields its trade policy instruments, it inadvertently erodes the very trust required for meaningful multilateral solutions.This self-defeating cycle turns temporary trade tools into long-term credibility deficits, leaving other countries even its own allies questioning whether transactional nationalism has irrevocably replaced visionary internationalism.When the world's largest economy prioritizes its own interest over the common good, the repercussions transcend borders and generations. This is why countries around the world scrutinize the growing trade disputes in North America with bated breath: In today's hyperconnected world, sustained prosperity demands more than just nationalist thinking.The ancient wisdom of "loving thy neighbor as thyself" remains a modern-day economic imperative.