The unilateral trade protectionism of the U.S. hurts a lot of nations. These countries need to enhance their cooperation, including cooperation between China and Japan, to ease the harm.

He says from China, the great communist-run mercantilist empire. How about taking down your own 25% tariffs on cars, instead of criticizing your trade partners for trying to do the same thing?

The "Made in China 2025" program will hurt a lot more nations, including the US, than Trump ever will.

Well, Trump and Xi are both very particular on their economy. If I can remember by Macroeconomics right, one downside of a globalized economy is that your economy might suffer losses if another economy is more competitive. In order to mitigate this, countries impose trade protectionism to give their economy a fighting chance. If I'm not wrong, Japan also did the same thing post-WWII to revive its economy. The problem is that China and US holds a large slice of the world's economic pie and any protectionist action or a trade war will be felt throughout.

China and Japan combating protectionism?? Best joke I've heard all day! Good one!

Interesting image in the Guardian. Russia and China don't come out well, but neither does the U.S and Australia interestingly. I managed to find the source. This is fairly up to date btw and is from Europes perspective.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52017DC0338&from=EN

Its page 5 btw.

If I'm not wrong, Japan also did the same thing post-WWII to revive its economy.

All the major economic powers have been havens of protectionism and mercantilism. That's how they became economic powers.