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Just over six years ago, when Donald Trump first announced tariffs on Chinese goods, it was as if a bomb had gone off. American stocks fell sharply at the prospect of a trade war, businesses warned of blowback and economists lined up to decry the move.
就在六年多前，当唐纳德·特朗普首次宣布对中国商品征收关税时，就像炸弹爆炸了一样。美国股市因贸易战的前景而大幅下挫，企业警告关税可能适得其反，经济学家一致谴责这一举措。
Such is the protectionist mood in Washington now that Joe Biden's announcement of new measures has been met with rather less panic -- even though it concerns significantly higher tariffs.
现在尽管乔·拜登宣布的新措施涉及大幅提高关税，但没有引起那么多恐慌，这就是华盛顿的保护主义情绪。
On May 14th, following a policy review, the White House decided to raise tariffs on, among other things, Chinese semiconductors and solar cells from 25% to 50%, syringes and needles from 0% to 50% and lithium-ion batteries from 7.5% to 25%.
5月14日在政策复审之后，白宫决定将对中国的许多产品提高关税，其中包括半导体和太阳能电池的关税从25%提高到50%，注射器和针头的关税从0%提高到50%，锂离子电池的关税从7.5%提高到25%。
It hit electric vehicles (EVs) with the biggest increase of all, quadrupling the tariff rate on China-made EVs from 25% to 100%.
电动汽车的关税增幅是最大的，将中国制造的电动汽车的关税从25%提高到100%，翻了两番。
Lael Brainard of the National Economic Council said the actions would create “a level playing field in industries that are vital to our future”. Yet it is American consumers who will pay the price.
国家经济委员会的莱尔·布雷纳德表示，这些行动将为“那些对美国的未来至关重要的行业创造一个公平竞争的环境”。然而，付出代价的将是美国消费者。
Relative to Mr Trump's China tariffs, the new levies are both more targeted and more dramatic.
相比于特朗普的中国关税，新的关税既更有针对性，力度也更强。
Mr Trump's tariffs in time sprawled to cover over $350bn-worth of imports from China, mostly at a 25% rate. Mr Biden's tariffs cover about $18bn-worth of imports, though at far more prohibitive rates.
当初特朗普的关税逐步扩大到涵盖从中国进口的价值超过3500亿美元的商品，其中大部分税率为25%。现在拜登的关税涵盖价值约180亿美元的进口商品，尽管税率要高得多。
The impact is thus not on current trade flows, but on future potential. For example, in Europe, where China-made cars (including Western brands) face a more modest tariff of 10%, they have taken nearly a quarter of the EV market.
因此，拜登关税影响的不是当前的贸易流动，而是未来的潜在贸易。例如，在欧洲，中国制造的汽车(包括西方品牌的汽车)关税为较低的10%，占据了欧洲电动汽车市场近四分之一的份额。
In America, by contrast, there are few Chinese-made EVs on the road. Owing to the new ultra-high tariffs, it will surely stay that way.
相比之下，在美国，路上很少有中国制造的电动汽车。由于新的超高关税，这种情况肯定会持续下去。
Within America, the tariffs are aimed at protecting nascent industries rather than large, thriving ones. Under Mr Biden, the American government is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build up domestic EV manufacturing, semiconductors, batteries and more.
在美国国内，这些关税的目的是保护新兴产业，而不是大型、蓬勃发展的产业。在拜登的领导下，美国政府正在投入数千亿美元来建立国内的电动汽车制造业、半导体、电池等产业。
This has prompted a boom in factory construction, including in America's rust belt, but it will be another few years before production lines really kick into gear. The aim is for the new tariffs to buy them time.
这带来了工厂建设的热潮，包括在美国的铁锈带，但生产线真正投入使用还需要几年时间。新关税的目的是为这些产业争取时间。
Heftier import taxes on Chinese products will push up prices for American consumers. The immediate effect will be limited, as so much trade in tariff-hit categories has already shifted away from China.
对中国产品征收更高的进口税将推高美国消费者要支付的价格。这对当前造成的影响是有限的，因为受关税冲击的产品类别的许多贸易已经从中国转移到其他国家了。
But domestic producers may feel less of an incentive to develop cheap goods in the long term, knowing that they are shielded from foreign competition.
但从长远来看，国内生产商可能不那么有动力去开发廉价商品，因为他们知道自己不受外国竞争的影响。
The tariffs also represent a lost opportunity for the environment. Lower prices for EVs, solar panels and batteries would have boosted their appeal to consumers, as is essential if America is to green its economy.
这些关税也代表着环境保护方面失去的机会。电动汽车、太阳能电池板和电池的价格降低本可以提高它们对消费者的吸引力，如果美国要实现绿色经济，这是至关重要的。
