🔍 Where Tariffs Are Mentioned and How:

1. Critique of Blanket Tariffs

The chapter criticizes the indiscriminate application of tariffs on Chinese goods, arguing that such tactics:

Have limited effectiveness in changing China's behavior.

Impose costs on U.S. businesses and consumer.

Fail to address the root causes of unfair trade practices like IP theft, state subsidies, and forced technology transfers.

📌 Quote/Paraphrase from the Chapter:

"Tariffs on Chinese goods have not proven to be a long-term solution. A more targeted approach is necessary."

This implies the authors believe broad tariffs are too blunt and often counterproductive.

🛠️ What’s Recommended Instead of Blanket Tariffs:

Targeted Action on Bad Actors:

Focus on Chinese companies engaged in espionage, IP theft, forced technology transfers, and price dumping.

Use strategic tariffs or trade restrictions only against those firms, not entire industries or goods.

Revoking China’s Developing Country Status:

This would remove favorable trade terms China enjoys at the WTO and other international institutions.

Not a tariff, but it impacts trade flows similarly by increasing regulatory burdens or tariffs under global rules.

Multilateral Agreements:

Rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or rebrand it to isolate China economically without needing widespread tariffs.

Focus on building coalitions of like-minded countries to enforce standards collectively.

⚖️ Diagnosis of the Tariff Discussion:

Tariffs are present in the policy debate but are not favored as a central mechanism.

The authors shift the narrative toward smarter, more surgical economic tools. It reflects a broader conservative critique that tariffs function more as political signals than effective long-term solutions.

🔍 Direct and Indirect References to Tariffs

1. Critique of Blanket Tariffs

📄 Page 815 (within “Adopting a Multi-Pronged China Strategy”):“Rather than blanket tariffs or non-tariff barriers aimed at entire Chinese industry sectors, firms that act in bad faith should be targeted individually. This policy was employed to good effect early in the Trump Administration but was abandoned in favor of a less effective blanket tariff policy.”🔹 Analysis: This clearly critiques the use of blanket tariffs, suggesting a targeted approach as both more effective and strategically sound. It also implies that the Trump-era move to broader tariffs was a misstep.

2. Reference to the Cold War & Trade Policy Strategy

📄 Page 817 (under “Play the long game”):“Each of these many components, from tariffs to trade agreements to culture, is a small part of a larger China policy. Many are not attention-grabbing and cannot be put into sound bites.”🔹 Analysis: Here, tariffs are mentioned as one of many tools, but the tone implies they are neither central nor sufficient. The emphasis is on holistic, flexible strategies.

📑 Summary of Position on Tariffs

The text does not promote new blanket tariffs.

It views past blanket tariff policy as ineffective and instead endorses: Targeted trade measures

Strategic pressure

Multilateral engagement (like the TPP)Tariffs are acknowledged as one of many tools, but the chapter pushes for subtle, multi-front, and generational strategies over blunt economic weapons.