Trump Seeks Support from Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam to Rebalance Trade with China

President Donald Trump is intensifying efforts to rally allies in his trade war against China, seeking to leverage their support to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping. The U.S. has escalated its trade conflict with China, but Trump appears uncertain about how to secure a victory. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that allies such as Japan, South Korea, India, and Vietnam will soon engage in trade talks with Washington, aiming to encircle China and push for a rebalancing of its trade practices, addressing issues like market access, intellectual property theft, and industrial espionage. The Trump administration's approach, however, conflicts with the president's 'America first' policy, which has alienated many allies. Over the past three months, Trump has insulted, imposed tariffs on, and even threatened to annex territories of some of America's closest allies. This has led to a situation where the U.S. now needs help, yet allies are hesitant to respond to Trump's calls due to his treatment of friends and foes alike, with phones ringing off the hooks from allies seeking to engage with the U.S. Despite the administration's efforts to build an allied front against China, Trump's actions have undermined long-standing alliances. He withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on his first day in office in 2017, which excluded China and included allies like Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Additionally, he shut down the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which would have connected the world's two largest markets.