The US "is the most advanced country on the planet" because it constantly uses "industry protection". Besides tariffs and subsidies, the whole power of the US state and military is constantly used to further US trade and resource interests, enforce favorable trade rules, ignore this or that treaty that doesn't benefit the US industry (e.g. environment or child labor laws), and so on.
>When the US administration gets into a tradewar that makes Chinese commodities more expensive and stops American farmers from selling soybeans, how exactly is this to the benefit of anyone?
For one, it's of benefit of those making (and/or) selling commodities of their own.
Heck, even American workers, who might have to pay more for Chinese-made commodities, but they also get jobs again to make similar commodities in the US. A paycheck + more expensive goods trumps being unemployed + the availability of cheapo Chinese goods.
--> The US is the most advanced country on the planet, therefore it logically follows that they do not need industry protection.
This doesn't seem quite right to me. Are you seeing a perspective that I'm overlooking? Have I perhaps mischaracterized you?
> The answer is clearly that the narrative is purely political and not economical.
Even if we assume for the sake of argument that "Playing up China as an economic enemy..." is completely true, do you consider that a complete proof of the above assertion?
This has only been true since about the mid 20th century and is by no means guaranteed to continue. Other countries are also populated by clever humans who would love to overtake us.
As an American I'm inclined to be supportive of measures taken by my government to keep the US in the top spot.
When the US administration gets into a tradewar that makes Chinese commodities more expensive and stops American farmers from selling soybeans, how exactly is this to the benefit of anyone?
The answer is clearly that the narrative is purely political and not economical. Playing up China as an economic enemy rather than a partner resonates with a relatively small, but vocal minority of the voterbase, who for ideological reasons seeks conflict with China.