US Can Be Expected To Continue Pursuing Tariffs, Says SM Lee

The situation will escalate, with far-reaching results for US-China relations and the world, he says

- Lim Min Zhang

The United States postponing its "Liberation Day" tariffs on other countries for 90 days might sound like a reprieve, but people should be bracing themselves for the US to not only move forward with the tariffs, but to also take stronger measures in time to come, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on April 14.

Pointing to how the tariff war between the US and China has already begun, SM Lee said the situation is going to escalate, with far-reaching consequences for US-China relations and the world.

In a one-hour speech ahead of a dialogue with union leaders, SM Lee noted the strong consensus within the US that China is a pacing challenge, and its determination to prevent China from overtaking it.

But China is determined to grow and take its rightful place in the world, and the result is a fundamental contradiction that is not going to be easily resolved, he added.

US President Donald Trump and his team fundamentally believe that America's problem has to do with its trade deficit with the world, and a need to rebuild manufacturing back home, said SM Lee.

"Trump believes it, his team believes it, many of them, and these are goals which are going to be very difficult to achieve, so we must expect him to continue to pursue this objective," he said.

"And when he makes moves and they have not delivered results, I think the conclusion will not be to leave off, but will be to continue to do more moves and to take further strong measures."