Yeah, I suspect that is the logic, such as it is. Quite unburdened with an understanding of how trade works, and seemingly susceptible to the greater fool theory of trade - I'll do it because I'm so smart, but that guy over there won't, and my companies will reap benefits. Not for long.

The Chinese great firewall, even though it is primarily to not allow info flow from outside, one benefit has been that, a lot of the internet companies that operate in china have been local and they were able to develop without any competition from western players. This has benefited china and its companies. But in the rest of the world its mostly the SV companies who rule the roost.

There are bith advantages and disadvantages to protectionism I feel.