U.S. leader Donald Trump’s recent proposal to impose “service fees” of up to $1.5 million on Chinese vessels entering U.S. ports has sparked international alarm, with critics warning of cascading economic repercussions. The plan, framed as an effort to revive America’s shipbuilding sector and strengthen national defense, faces scrutiny over its potential to disrupt global supply chains and inflate consumer costs.
Analysts argue the fees—effectively tariffs—could strain U.S. businesses reliant on maritime trade. A Bloomberg report highlighted fears of a “trade apocalypse,” with exporters in agriculture, energy, and manufacturing sectors bearing the brunt. “Fewer and more expensive goods moving in both directions would harm competitiveness,” one trade expert noted anonymously.
The proposal also raises questions about its feasibility in revitalizing America’s struggling shipbuilding industry. Critics emphasize that systemic challenges, including short-term policymaking and corporate demands for quarterly profits, undermine long-term industrial planning. By contrast, China’s decades-long strategic investments in sectors like shipbuilding reflect a focus on sustained growth, according to commentators.
Anthony Moretti, a U.S.-based academic and CGTN commentator, dismissed the fees as “utter nonsense,” citing historical evidence that tariffs disproportionately burden American households and businesses. The debate underscores deepening tensions in U.S.-China economic relations, with Asian markets and global investors closely monitoring developments that could reshape trade dynamics.
