As the Russia–Ukraine conflict continues without a clear resolution, President Donald Trump’s administration is deploying a broader diplomatic strategy—using trade as a tool to weaken the China–Russia alliance and push Moscow toward the negotiating table.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), recent trade talks between the U.S. and China are about more than just tariffs. Beneath the surface of economic negotiations lies a geopolitical strategy aimed at disrupting the growing alignment between Moscow and Beijing. For Washington, this is key to increasing pressure on Russia and ultimately forcing a path toward peace in Ukraine.
President Trump has expressed growing frustration over the lack of progress in resolving the war in Ukraine. He believes that weakening Russia’s economic support—particularly from China—is essential. This strategy echoes President Richard Nixon’s Cold War diplomacy, when the U.S. exploited tensions between China and the Soviet Union to end Beijing’s global isolation.
Sources cited by WSJ say that during a July 28 meeting in Sweden, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a firm message to Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng: Washington wants a comprehensive trade agreement, but would also consider easing tensions if Beijing withdraws its support for Russia.
A powerful tool currently under review in the U.S. Senate is a secondary sanctions bill. If passed, the legislation would impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries that purchase Russian oil and gas—critical revenue streams sustaining Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine.
The primary targets of this bill are China and India, which have significantly increased their energy imports from Russia. In a sign that the pressure is already working, India’s state-owned refineries began cutting back on Russian crude purchases this week after receiving a warning from President Trump about a potential 25% tariff on Indian goods.
For China, such sanctions could be even more damaging. With its economy facing multiple internal challenges—from real estate to weakening exports—a long-term trade truce with the U.S., including partial tariff relief, might become a viable option.
Alongside the pressure campaign, the Trump administration is also signaling its willingness to compromise—albeit strategically. One notable gesture: lifting the export ban on Nvidia’s H20 AI chips to China, a major demand from Beijing and a clear indicator that Washington is serious about reaching a deal.
Additionally, media reports suggest that the White House pressured Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te to cancel his planned trip to Latin America, which included a stop in the U.S. Though unconfirmed, this move is seen as a calculated concession to reduce tensions with Beijing during this sensitive period of negotiation.
While the approach has raised concerns among U.S. national security circles, the White House appears confident that disrupting the Beijing–Moscow alliance is worth the diplomatic gamble. Yet a critical question remains unanswered: Will President Xi Jinping abandon China’s “no-limits” partnership with Russia in exchange for a U.S. trade pact?
Though the outcome is uncertain, one thing is clear: America’s trade strategy is no longer purely economic—it has become a geopolitical instrument, poised to reshape the global balance of power in the months ahead.
Tiếng Việt
English
