Every justification for trade restrictions in 2026 must dress itself up in paranoia about Chinese industrial policy. If there’s one way to further entrench Beijing’s position in high-tech supply chains, however, it’s to give in to that protectionist urge.
Consider the tariffs and price floors that President Donald Trump is preparing to announce on polysilicon and related solar power equipment, reported by Bloomberg News. Those who have backed the proposed measures have framed this fight as existential, with China in the ascendant: The current setup in the solar industry leaves “an adversarial power” with “the keys to our energy future,” according to the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a protectionist lobby group. That sounds like ample justification for introducing so-called Section 232 trade measures, which govern threats to national security.
