With China and US at intense economic odds, nations are being forced to choose sides

ONE went to the United States. The other went to China. It was a sign of the times.

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While the Swiss President was in Washington last week to lobby US officials over President Donald Trump's threatened 31% tariff on Swiss goods, the Swiss foreign minister was in Beijing, expressing his nation's willingness to strengthen cooperation with China and upgrade a free trade agreement.

As Trump's trade war locks the world's two largest economies on a collision course, America's unnerved allies and partners are cosying up with China to hedge their bets. It comes as Trump's trade push upends a decade of American foreign policy — including his own from his first term — toward rallying the rest of the world to join the United States against China. And it threatens to hand Beijing more leverage in any eventual dialogue with the US administration.

With Trump saying that countries are “kissing my ass” to negotiate trade deals on is terms or risk stiff import taxes, Beijing is reaching out to countries far and near. It portrays itself as a stabilising force and a predictable trading partner, both to cushion the impact from Trump's tariffs and to forge stronger trade ties outside of the US market.

“America and China are now locked in a fierce contest for global supremacy,” Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in an April 16 speech. “Both powers claim they do not wish to force countries to choose sides. But in reality, each seeks to draw others closer into their respective orbits.”

The tariffs on Chinese goods are off the charts

Trump has paused some of his steepest tariffs on most American partners for 90 days after global financial markets melted down. But he has raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, drawing rebukes from Beijing, which has vowed to "fight to the end.” US companies are warning of higher prices, meaning Trump could face both higher inflation and empty store shelves.