US media: Xi Jinping's soaring confidence makes China dare to resist US economic pressure
The Wall Street Journal reported that China is shifting its economic pressure against the US from deterrence to actual combat, driven by President Xi Jinping's growing confidence. Examples include blocking Meta's acquisition and retaliatory measures against US sanctions.
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- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 17:25
- 🔍 Collected: May 6, 2026 at 17:33 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 6, 2026 at 17:46 (13 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 6th) The Wall Street Journal today published an opinion piece stating that in future economic conflicts between the US and China, the Chinese government will no longer stay at the deterrence level but will engage in real combat using its tools, with the cancellation of the Manus deal being a prime example. One of the reasons for this is Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping's "growing confidence," though whether he accurately judged the situation is another matter.
The Wall Street Journal article, titled "China Activates Economic 'Arsenal' Against US, Shifts from Deterrence to Actual Combat," said that the Chinese government has long used its legal authority to counter US economic pressure by delaying deals rather than directly rejecting them. Now, the Chinese government no longer feels "the need to pretend to weigh the pros and cons."
The article cited two recent examples: one was the Chinese authorities directly halting Meta's acquisition of Manus without offering Meta any remedies, detailed antitrust analysis, or diplomatic room for maneuver. The second example was China's counter-measure against the US Treasury Department's sanctions on five Chinese "teapot refineries" for dealing with Iran, which stipulated that no company involved in Iran's oil trade should comply with US sanctions, putting every multinational company involved under pressure to be held accountable by both the US and China.
The article points out three reasons for China's change: First, the Chinese government is now more inclined to assert its will forcefully. Second, China's technology in areas like chips, AI, and batteries is maturing, making the cost of excluding the West "feel less high." Third is "Xi Jinping's growing confidence." A Chinese insider said Xi Jinping "has cracked the code" to dealing with US President Donald Trump, believing Trump "can be exhausted and outlasted," thereby allowing for controlled escalation to reset negotiation baselines without completely destroying the relationship. Whether Xi Jinping accurately judged the situation is another question.
The article states that Xi Jinping's confidence is about to face the test of a "Xi-Trump meeting." He believes Trump will come to the meeting regardless and pay a price for it, which is why he initiated the two strong counter-measures mentioned above.
Regarding Xi Jinping's judgment, Desmond Shum, author of the bestselling book "Red Roulette" and former member of the Beijing CPPCC, directly stated that on one hand, Xi Jinping prioritizes "security" at all levels. On the other hand, the Chinese government also hopes to boost dwindling foreign investment. But in the end, "doubts always prevail."
Shum said that each of Xi Jinping's new measures is tightening the door to China, and fewer and fewer investors and companies are now willing to enter China or expand their operations there.
He believes that China is "a behemoth" and is unlikely to collapse, but is heading towards a "long and painful attrition, occasionally accompanied by moments of temporary recovery." (Edited by Chiu Kuo-chiang / Chu Chien-ling) 1150506
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(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 6th) The Wall Street Journal today published an opinion piece stating that in future economic conflicts between the US and China, the Chinese government will no longer stay at the deterrence level but will engage in real combat using its tools, with the cancellation of the Manus deal being a prime example. One of the reasons for this is Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping's "growing confidence," though whether he accurately judged the situation is another matter.
The Wall Street Journal article, titled "China Activates Economic 'Arsenal' Against US, Shifts from Deterrence to Actual Combat," said that the Chinese government has long used its legal authority to counter US economic pressure by delaying deals rather than directly rejecting them. Now, the Chinese government no longer feels "the need to pretend to weigh the pros and cons."
The article cited two recent examples: one was the Chinese authorities directly halting Meta's acquisition of Manus without offering Meta any remedies, detailed antitrust analysis, or diplomatic room for maneuver. The second example was China's counter-measure against the US Treasury Department's sanctions on five Chinese "teapot refineries" for dealing with Iran, which stipulated that no company involved in Iran's oil trade should comply with US sanctions, putting every multinational company involved under pressure to be held accountable by both the US and China.
The article points out three reasons for China's change: First, the Chinese government is now more inclined to assert its will forcefully. Second, China's technology in areas like chips, AI, and batteries is maturing, making the cost of excluding the West "feel less high." Third is "Xi Jinping's growing confidence." A Chinese insider said Xi Jinping "has cracked the code" to dealing with US President Donald Trump, believing Trump "can be exhausted and outlasted," thereby allowing for controlled escalation to reset negotiation baselines without completely destroying the relationship. Whether Xi Jinping accurately judged the situation is another question.
The article states that Xi Jinping's confidence is about to face the test of a "Xi-Trump meeting." He believes Trump will come to the meeting regardless and pay a price for it, which is why he initiated the two strong counter-measures mentioned above.
Regarding Xi Jinping's judgment, Desmond Shum, author of the bestselling book "Red Roulette" and former member of the Beijing CPPCC, directly stated that on one hand, Xi Jinping prioritizes "security" at all levels. On the other hand, the Chinese government also hopes to boost dwindling foreign investment. But in the end, "doubts always prevail."
Shum said that each of Xi Jinping's new measures is tightening the door to China, and fewer and fewer investors and companies are now willing to enter China or expand their operations there.
He believes that China is "a behemoth" and is unlikely to collapse, but is heading towards a "long and painful attrition, occasionally accompanied by moments of temporary recovery." (Edited by Chiu Kuo-chiang / Chu Chien-ling) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is a power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.