The United States registered imports of products from China for 19,805 million dollars in March, a year-on-year drop of 36.5%, the Census Bureau reported.

China ceased to be the United States’ first trading partner, affected by the war between the two powers.

Imports from the United States from Mexico fell 3.9% and imports from Canada fell 9.3% in March, at annual rates.

In 2019, the trade dispute between the United States and China entered its second year and remains unresolved entirely.

According to the US government, the Chinese government’s unwavering commitment to state management of its economy remains a major obstacle. In response to decades of unfair economic practices, the United States wants the Chinese government to codify commitments to strengthen intellectual property protection, prohibit the forced transfer of technology, and eliminate industrial subsidies.

But these practices are central features of China’s economic system, and the Chinese government views the United States’ demands as an attack on its national development.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump sent the message that he could implement new tariffs against China in retaliation for the COVID-19 pandemic and indicated that «phase one» of the trade deal could be reversed.

Imports and coronaviruses

According to the US government, as countries rush to respond to the global COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sees a strategic opportunity to project global leadership, reinforce the message that democracies are in decline, and sow disinformation to minimize your guilt in spreading the virus.

Furthermore, from the perspective of the US government, the Chinese government reinforces this propaganda offensive by sending critical supplies to countries where it seeks to deepen its political and economic influence, taking advantage of its outsized role in the global production of medical personal protective equipment.

According to the analysis carried out by Chad Bown at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, in 2018 China provided almost half of the global imports of that group of products, such as face protectors, protective clothing, protective equipment for the mouth and nose, gloves and goggles.

An editorial was published in the CCP spokesperson, People’s Daily, claiming that China can supply such products to «relevant countries» to strengthen its international influence.

Since then, the Chinese government has announced that it will provide medical personnel and supplies to 82 countries, and has pledged $ 62 million in aid to international organizations.