There's a strong sentiment in certain circles that the best way to deal with emerging powers is by incorporating them into global neoliberal institutions. The theory is that including these countries sets up the correct incentives for liberalization, and that liberal markets beget a middle clas s which eventually demands democratic voice. And democracies are western-friendly.

So the roadmap for China was supposed to be a gradual liberalization, first economically and then politically. This strategy is a long game and "requires patience".

I'm not particularly convinced by this argument (it's too... cold war-y), but I'm doing my best to portray it accurately. And if you accept its basic premise, then there's a strong geopolitical long-game case for "putting up with" asymmetric trade barriers.