As I suggested could happen in an article published last fall, trade tensions between China and the U.S. have begun to heat up. Below is a link to a graphic from a recent analysis of the issue by the Wall Street Journal. It makes clear why China is on top of the hit lists by protectionists. There is no doubt that China, backed by global multinational corporations, is an adept player in the international economy. They are exploiting cheap labor who are denied basic human rights to force the country’s entry into the global economy. But is narrow protectionism the right response? Can American workers afford to cut off their potential alliance with Chinese workers? An alternative approach would offer support to Chinese workers to form their own independent unions and political parties. While the international labor movement pays lip service to this approach, it does very little in a concrete way. The time to change this may have finally come.

WSJ.com – Trade Gap Widens, Fuels Calls For Tougher Stance on China