“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.
對於美中「第一階段」經貿協議，合適的回應是英國前首相哈羅德•麥克米倫(Harold Macmillan)說過的話：「吵來吵去總比打來打去好。」（這句話經常被誤稱爲出自溫斯頓•丘吉爾(Winston Churchill)之口）。該協議在遺漏和納入的內容兩方面都有巨大缺陷。這場衝突遠未解決。美國的目標也依然思路不清，把外界更是搞得一頭霧水。但這兩個超級大國至少達成了一個協議。該協議的序言甚至指出「貿易成長……符合兩國的利益」。這是一個休戰協議，不是和平協議。它保留了當前的高水準貿易保護。然而休戰仍然是可喜的。