“Jaw, jaw is better than war, war.” These words of former British prime minister Harold Macmillan (wrongly attributed to Winston Churchill) are the right response to the “phase one” trade agreement between the US and China. The agreement has huge defects of omission and commission. The conflict is far from resolution. US objectives also remain confused and confusing. But the two superpowers have at least reached an agreement. The preamble to the agreement even states that “it is in the interests of both countries that trade grow”. This is a truce, not peace. It leaves a high level of protection in place. Yet a truce is welcome.
对于美中“第一阶段”经贸协议，合适的回应是英国前首相哈罗德•麦克米伦(Harold Macmillan)说过的话：“吵来吵去总比打来打去好。”（这句话经常被误称为出自温斯顿•丘吉尔(Winston Churchill)之口）。该协议在遗漏和纳入的内容两方面都有巨大缺陷。这场冲突远未解决。美国的目标也依然思路不清，把外界更是搞得一头雾水。但这两个超级大国至少达成了一个协议。该协议的序言甚至指出“贸易增长……符合两国的利益”。这是一个休战协议，不是和平协议。它保留了当前的高水平贸易保护。然而休战仍然是可喜的。