China Daily editorial on Bessent's 'underwater kicking' allegory criticizes US 'water polo' trade tactics against China.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's water polo metaphor deserves scrutiny, not as a memorable turn of phrase, but as a revealing inversion of reality. Describing Sino-US economic relations as a water polo match on Fox Business, Bessent claimed that "Under the water, the Chinese seem to have done a lot of kicking lately" and pledged that "If we have to, we'll kick back."

Yet Washington's actions tell a different story. In May, the US tightened artificial intelligence chip export controls by closing "loopholes" for Chinese-headquartered companies operating overseas, extending US jurisdiction far beyond its borders. In June, the Pentagon added 65 Chinese entities to its Section 1260H List of alleged "Chinese military companies" without substantiation. In late July, the Federal Communications Commission moved to block imports of Chinese-made advanced robotics and power inverters—despite acknowledging that restrictions would raise costs and slow aspects of America's own AI development. The pattern escalated on Friday when Washington placed over 40 Chinese entities on the "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List," just one day after Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng held what both sides characterized as a candid and constructive video call with Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

This pattern reflects not Chinese "kicking," but a US campaign of "underwater kicking"—one that has become broader, more systematic, and increasingly disconnected from any stated goal of stabilizing relations.

Bessent's metaphor unwittingly exposes a contradiction. The US administration positions itself as the rules-abiding player, forced into a defensive posture by Chinese "dirty tricks." In reality, Washington is the one resorting to unsporting behavior—erecting new barriers across semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and trade. By stretching "national security" to cover virtually all major sectors, it disregards the appeals of the US business community. These administrative actions—disguised as defensive measures—amount to classic market distortion and unilateral coercion.

The hypocrisy runs deeper. Reuters recently photographed Bessent's handwritten notes during a Cabinet meeting revealing plans to purchase billions of dollars of Japanese yen. The carefully visible notebook represents the sort of below-the-surface maneuvering that Bessent hypocritically accused China of employing.

The deeper strategy emerges clearly: Washington treats stability as a tactical pause—opportunities to secure what it still needs from China, particularly rare earths, before resuming its broader strategy of constraining China's rise. This pattern explains why the US introduces new restrictions before and after almost every bilateral dialogue.

The economic costs are becoming visible. Second-quarter US GDP growth slowed to an annualized 1.5 percent, down from 2.1 percent in the first quarter. Bessent dismissed the figures as "very noisy," blaming "technical factors." Yet the timing suggests Washington's familiar instinct when facing domestic headwinds: redirect attention outward.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged this week that any economic or military conflict between the US and China would be catastrophic for both countries and the wider world—a point beyond reasonable dispute. Yet the administration presses ahead with an ill-advised China policy that increasingly burdens the US economy itself.

Beijing, by contrast, has responded rationally to protect its legitimate rights and interests. Bessent might recall one lesson from water polo itself: the player kicking beneath the surface often does so because he is struggling to stay afloat. The US retains a technological lead in some sectors, but preserving that advantage requires confidence, not perpetual escalation. If Washington continues mistaking competition for a zero-sum game, it may discover that the turbulence it complains about is largely of its own making.