{"id":308048,"date":"2025-05-08T05:34:27","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T05:34:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=308048"},"modified":"2025-05-09T07:19:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T07:19:27","slug":"bessent-leads-wall-streets-tariffs-blitz-on-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=308048","title":{"rendered":"Bessent Leads Wall Street\u2019s Tariffs Blitz on China"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Mike Whitney \u2013 The Unz Review May 6, 2025<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>On Thursday, President Donald Trump delivered a fiery statement on his Truth Social website. He said:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">ALERT: <strong>All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!<\/strong> <strong>Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions.<\/strong> They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form. Thank you for your attention to this matter, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP @realDonaldTrump<\/p>\n<p>Most people who read Trump\u2019s statement assumed that the president was planning to tighten economic sanctions on Iran. But that misses the point entirely. The real target is China because China imports 85-90% of Iran\u2019s oil output, roughly 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd). What Trump is saying in blunt terms, is that,<strong> if China continues to purchase oil from Iran \u201cthey will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form.\u201d In other words, Trump is doubling down on his tariffs policy (which is 145% on Chinese goods) and imposing a complete embargo<\/strong>. Trump was apparently hoping that this new threat would force Beijing to the negotiation table where they would make the concessions that he seeks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt aligncenter size-full wp-image-308050\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Iranian-oil-exports.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"606\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Iranian-oil-exports.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Iranian-oil-exports-480x323.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 900px, 100vw\" \/><\/div>\n<p>But the Chinese are not giving an inch, in fact, Beijing is more resolute than ever. <strong>China\u2019s Foreign Minister has said repeatedly that Beijing will not bow to Trump\u2019s bullying, nor will they negotiate until all the unilateral tariffs are removed.<\/strong> The western media has deliberately misled its readers on this point by making it seem like there\u2019s \u201cwiggle-room\u201d on the Chinese side. But there is no wiggle room. Either Trump lifts his tariffs or there will be no talks. And if there are no talks, there will be no trade. End of story.<\/p>\n<p><strong>China believes it has the moral high-ground on this issue<\/strong> because it is defending the rules of international trade which cannot be changed by executive fiat or the arbitrary actions of an impulsive autocrat who thinks the system should be reconfigured to suit his interests. Chinese leaders have made it quite clear that they are not going to budge on an issue which they consider to be a matter of principle.<\/p>\n<p>The Era of Bullying is Over.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Not bowing to bullying, not compromising on justice. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/China?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#China<\/a>&#8216;s principled response to U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/tariffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#tariffs<\/a> has won global solidarity, from small businesses to emerging economies. By striking back, China defends shared values and a fairer world.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/opinion?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#opinion<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vj5rxk5Mv3\">pic.twitter.com\/vj5rxk5Mv3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 T-House (@thouse_opinions) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thouse_opinions\/status\/1918978226074108011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 4, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>What that means in practical terms, is that <strong>Trump is going to be forced to cave in. And he is going to be forced to cave in sooner than many Americans realize.<\/strong> Activity at U.S. ports on the West Coast, has slowed significantly as of early May, and the absence of imports will become increasingly noticeable as May drags on. Take a look:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">According to Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, predicted <strong>a 35% decrease in cargo arrivals for the week following April 29, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024\u2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">For the week of May 4\u201310, 2025, only 17 vessels carrying 85,486 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were scheduled to arrive, <strong>a 28.6% drop from the prior week<\/strong> and 10.5% lower than the previous year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Approximately <strong>45% of the port\u2019s business comes from China, and many large importers, including major retailers, have paused or halted shipments <\/strong>from China due to tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods\u2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Port of Long Beach is also experiencing a steep decline in freight vessel traffic from China<\/strong>. For the week of May 4\u201310, 2025, only 12 vessels were scheduled to arrive, down from 22 the week of April 20\u201326\u2026 China accounted for 61% of Long Beach\u2019s containerized imports in 2024, making it highly vulnerable to the trade disruptions\u2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Broader Trends:<\/strong><br \/>\nNationwide, ocean <strong>container bookings from China to the U.S. have fallen 20% year-over-year, with some reports indicating a 60% drop in bookings over the past three weeks<\/strong> since tariffs intensified.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt aligncenter size-full wp-image-308051\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Value-of-goods-with-Tariffs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"476\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Value-of-goods-with-Tariffs.jpg 680w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Value-of-goods-with-Tariffs-480x336.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 680px, 100vw\" \/><\/div>\n<p>What we are seeing now is a slow-motion trainwreck that was entirely avoidable, and which will severely damage the US economy. <strong>Many experts now think we could see a near 50% year-over-year drop in West Coast port activity accompanied by critical supply chain breakdowns similar to those that would occur during a World War.<\/strong> The dearth of imports will affect everything from unemployed dockworkers and truckers, to wholesalers and retailers, to Mom and Pop stores across the country. The knock-on effect will result in higher prices, mass layoffs, slower growth and volatile, chaotic markets. For the first time in living memory, <strong>Americans will experience real shortages, panic buying and empty shelves,<\/strong> reminders of the self-inflicted wound brought on by poor leadership.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, China is unlikely to feel much pain at all. Keep in mind, China not only has a current account surplus of $422 billion (Economist Brad Setser argues that China\u2019s \u201ctrue\u201d surplus may be $300 billion larger), nominal GDP of $18.1 trillion, with <strong>gross domestic savings at $8 trillion in 2023, and household savings at $19-20 trillion 2024\u2026 The Chinese government also has $3.1 trillion foreign exchange reserves. <\/strong>($784.3 billion of which are US Treasuries)<\/p>\n<p>In contrast,<strong> the United States is $36 trillion in debt, with credit card debt soaring to $1.2 trillion<\/strong>, (according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York), U.S. <strong>student loan debt currently topping $1.75 trillion<\/strong>, and a majority of American families that claim to be unable to cover even a $500 emergency. (without procuring a loan.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/US-economy-shrinks.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt aligncenter wp-image-308052\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/US-economy-shrinks.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/US-economy-shrinks.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/US-economy-shrinks-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 700px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>In short, <strong>China is flush with cash while the US is drowning in an ocean of red ink.<\/strong> Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent would like you to believe that America\u2019s lack of funds put it at an advantage in its competition with China. But that is not the case. <strong>China\u2019s massive savings enable the government to heavily invest in projects that keep the economy expanding during financial crises, trade wars or recessions.<\/strong> So, while Trump continues to lay-off more government employees and slash federal expenditures, (which slows growth) China is diverting its surplus into fiscal stimulus that will keep workers employed and the economy growing. Check out this excerpt from an article at the <em>Global Times<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>China\u2019s stepped-up fiscal policies are emerging as a pillar in its efforts to stabilize the economy, offering much-needed support to sectors under financial strain and helping the world\u2019s second-largest economy weather persistent global uncertainty.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">In 2025, the country pledged to intensify counter-cyclical adjustments, raising the deficit-to-GDP ratio to 4 percent and setting the government deficit at 5.66 trillion yuan (about 786 billion U.S. dollars), both at their highest levels in recent years.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">While vowing <strong>a more proactive fiscal policy, <\/strong>China plans to issue 1.3 trillion yuan in ultra-long special treasury bonds, up from 1 trillion yuan in 2024, alongside 4.4 trillion yuan in local government special-purpose bonds.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Data points to an accelerated roll-out of bond issuance. In the first quarter alone, the total issuance of government treasury bonds surpassed 3.3 trillion yuan, while local government bond issuance exceeded 2.8 trillion yuan, an over 80 percent increase from the same period last year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>These funds are swiftly being channeled into efforts to boost consumer demand, accelerate infrastructure investment, and subsidize people in difficulties. <\/strong>Economists said this front-loaded fiscal drive reinforces short-term stability and leaves ample leeway for further issuance of ultra-long treasury bonds and capital support measures for banks later in the year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>So far, the efforts have been translating into robust domestic demand\u2026. Retail sales of consumer goods, a key barometer of economic strength, rose 4.6 percent year on year in January-March, with the figure in March recording the strongest single-month growth since 2024\u2026..<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Ramped-up financial support has also been directed toward local governments, enabling them to advance major infrastructure projects vital for sustaining investment momentum.<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u201cIn the first quarter, our project received 1.497 billion yuan in local government special-purpose bonds, which has been instrumental in keeping construction on track,\u201d said the project manager.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Aside from more expansionary fiscal spending, local governments have been granted more flexibility in channeling their special-purpose bonds toward project categories, an effort to enhance investment efficiency and regional responsiveness.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Results suggest that the policy shift has gained traction\u2026. Infrastructure investment jumped 5.8 percent year on year\u2026 the bond supply may exceed expectations in the second quarter, as <strong>the government looks to offset external challenges through fiscal expansion.<\/strong> \u201cThe faster pace of issuance enhances counter-cyclical adjustment and creates space for future policy maneuvering,\u201d Feng noted. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202505\/1333326.shtml\">China\u2019s financial salvo gains speed to shore up economic growth<\/a>, <em>Global Times<\/em><\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s ironic, is that China grasps the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes better than anyone in the Trump administration. In Keynes masterpiece, <a href=\"https:\/\/public.econ.duke.edu\/~kdh9\/Courses\/Graduate%20Macro%20History\/Readings-1\/Keynes%20General%20Theory%20(excerpts).pdf\">The General Theory<\/a>, the British economist pointed out that that <strong>recessions occur due to insufficient aggregate demand that can be offset by government fiscal stimulus. (which makes up for the loss of private investment and personal consumption) Stimulus injects money into the economy, which encourages further consumption, and keeps the economy growing during slumps<\/strong>, financial crises or trade wars. Once the crisis has passed or the recession ends, the government can withdraw its stimulus and balance its accounts.<\/p>\n<p>We shouldn\u2019t expect a similar response from the neoliberal economists in Trump administration who view every crisis as an opportunity to implement their far-right, \u201cshock doctrine\u201d theories about shrinking government, lowering taxes, and further strengthening the western oligarchy. And we shouldn\u2019t confuse Trump\u2019s blather about economic nationalism (America First) as being the driving force behind the China tariffs. The real driver is Wall Street as we will explain in a minute. But first, a word about Trump\u2019s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Wall Street\u2019s man in the White House. This is from Wikipedia:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Scott Bessent is a former hedge fund manager who was formerly a partner at Soros Fund Management (SFM) and founded Key Square Group, a global macro investment firm<\/strong>\u2026.. In September 1992, he was a leading member of the group that <strong>profited by $1 billion on Black Wednesday, the British Pound sterling crisis<\/strong>. He made another $1.2 billion profit for SFM in 2013 betting against the Japanese yen. After he left the Soros Fund in 2015, he established Key Square Group, a hedge fund\u2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 40px;\">In 2000, Bessent hosted a fundraiser for Al Gore at his home in East Hampton, New York. That year, he also donated $1,000 to John McCain. In 2007, he donated $2,300 to Barack Obama and in 2013, he donated $25,000 to Hillary Clinton\u2019s campaign. At that time, he was described as a Democrat who supported liberal causes\u2026.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 40px;\">In 2016, after the election of Donald Trump, Bessent donated $1 million to Trump\u2019s 2017 presidential inaugural committee. In 2023 and 2024, he donated more than $1 million to Trump\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign\u2026.<strong> Bessent has advocated pushing for concessions from U.S. trading partners to restrict their economic relationships with China in order to isolate China and gain leverage over it in potential trade talks.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt aligncenter size-full wp-image-308053\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Soros-global-Octopus.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"674\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Soros-global-Octopus.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Soros-global-Octopus-480x462.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 700px, 100vw\" \/><\/div>\n<p>So, Bessent worked for globalist billionaire George Soros, contributed to whatever political party might end up in power, and made his bones as a high-flying hedge fund manager.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are we supposed to believe that a man like Bessent\u2014who is obviously a creature of Wall Street\u2014has launched a trade war on China to bring jobs back to the United States and rebuild the anemic US manufacturing sector?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No, that is not his real objective. Bessent is Wall Street\u2019s man in the White House. His job is to do everything in his power to remove the obstacles that block the banksters from access to China\u2019s massive savings and financial markets. Thus, <strong>the goal of the Trump tariffs is not reindustrialization. It\u2019s \u2018open markets\u2019<\/strong>. Here\u2019s more from Grok:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Bessent\u2019s push for China to open its markets includes liberalizing its financial and capital markets, which directly involves Wall Street banks<\/strong>. Here\u2019s how they fit into his vision, based on his April 2025 statements and broader trade policy:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Access to China\u2019s Financial Sector:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Bessent\u2019s Demand:<\/strong> <strong>China should remove restrictions on foreign financial institutions, allowing U.S. banks to operate freely in its $18.6 trillion economy, particularly in banking, asset management, and securities. <\/strong>Bessent argues this would integrate China into global finance, reducing trade imbalances by fostering a \u201cfair deal\u201d (April 23, 2025, Institute of International Finance). (<strong>Note\u2014<\/strong>So, providing access to China\u2019s financial markets would reduce trade imbalances?? In other words, no need for rebuilding manufacturing in the US, just let the banksters \u2018do their thing\u2019 and everything will be hunky-dory.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Wall Street\u2019s Role: Banks like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley seek greater market share in China\u2019s $55 trillion financial sector<\/strong> (2024, including banking and securities). Currently, foreign banks hold only 1.3% of China\u2019s banking assets ($59 trillion) and face caps on ownership (e.g., 51% in securities until 2020 reforms)\u2026.(<strong>Note\u2014<\/strong>\u201cHand over the $55 trillion and nobody gets hurt.\u201d Where have we heard that before?)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Benefit:<\/strong> Opening markets would allow Wall Street to compete with Chinese banks, tapping into China\u2019s $19-20 trillion household savings. (<strong>Note\u2014<\/strong>\u201cWall Street wants access to your personal savings, too.\u201d)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Scott Bessent, as U.S. Treasury Secretary in April 2025, demands that China \u201copen their markets\u201d to address trade imbalances, <\/strong>reduce export overcapacity, boost domestic consumption, and <strong>liberalize trade and capital markets<\/strong>\u2026.. Wall Street banks\u2014major U.S. financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup\u2014play a significant but complex role in Bessent\u2019s demands. They stand to benefit from China\u2019s market opening, particularly in financial services and capital markets, but their involvement also raises concerns about financial extraction and geopolitical tensions\u2026 (<strong>Note-<\/strong> Well, duh!)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Bessent\u2019s Demand: China should relax capital controls, allowing freer flows of foreign investment and yuan convertibility, integrating its $3.1 trillion foreign exchange reserves and $12 trillion bond market into global finance.<\/strong> Bessent sees this as part of \u201crestoring equilibrium\u201d to global markets. (<strong>Note\u2014<\/strong>China is being asked to trust its national savings with the crooks who blew up the financial system in 2008 costing the world over $50 trillion.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Bessent\u2019s Demand: China\u2019s market opening is a condition for de-escalating the trade war.<\/strong>.. <strong>Financial market access is a key U.S. demand in talks<\/strong>(Q3 2025 target, per Reuters). (<strong>Note\u2014There it is in black and white; \u2018You either do what we say, or we blow your brains out. Can you see what\u2019s going on here??)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><strong>Bessent\u2019s Demand: China\u2019s state-driven model,<\/strong> with $7.894 trillion savings and $422 billion surplus\u2026. <strong>Bessent wants China to \u201cgraduate\u201d from developing-nation status at the World Bank, opening markets to reduce its financial dominance<\/strong>. Grok<\/p>\n<p>So, Bessent is ordering China to abandon its state-owned economic model (which is the primary reason for its success) to ensure that the world\u2019s wealth remains in the hands of the world\u2019s richest Capitalists. In other words,<strong> Bessent is candidly admitting that he is leading the effort to obliterate the most successful \u201ceconomic development model\u201d in history simply because it is not under the control of voracious western oligarchs. It\u2019s not only an admission that the tariffs are a smokescreen aimed at concealing the administration\u2019s real motives (access to China\u2019s financial markets). It is also an admission that the western model is no longer competitive<\/strong> because the (Chinese)state recycles profits into more productive outlets while western oligarchs divert profits into stock buybacks, dividends, derivatives-trading and other forms of unproductive activity. One system creates an optimistic future for all of humanity while the other generates crushing poverty, political instability, and war.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no doubt which system is better.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/America-burns.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wpa-warning wpa-image-missing-alt aligncenter wp-image-308054\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/America-burns.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" data-warning=\"Missing alt text\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/America-burns.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/America-burns-480x480.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 700px, 100vw\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unz.com\/mwhitney\/bessent-leads-wall-streets-tariffs-blitz-on-china\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mike Whitney on how Trump\u2019s tariffs amount to a slow motion train wreck that will severely damage the U.S. economy   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":308049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[78,61,66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-308048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-china","category-Commentary","category-Economics"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=308048"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":308055,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308048\/revisions\/308055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/308049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=308048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=308048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=308048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}