What makes you think so? Perhaps an example… Brazil? Why will Brazil add trade barriers?
I ask because AFAICT the people who are in favour of trade barriers are the same who always are. The situation doesn't seem unusual. We have roughly the usual number of populists waving footguns, etc. What am I overlooking?
Car manufacturers were mostly based in US/Europe/Japan for the past 50+ years. Each market mostly stuck to their own cars, but also allowed sales from the other big manufacturers. Those big brands were allowed to start factories in other countries to avoid tariffs and gain market access.
However, soon China will be selling electric cars that are both cheaper and better than any of the traditional makers, and looking to sell them worldwide. This will trigger protectionist actions in the big manufacturers countries, but also seeing their markets dry up, all those countries will also be negotiating trade deals with any country who will listen to also block China selling to their country.
However, I think there's a minor disconnect: I can easily see how e.g. the US might want to block sales from China to e.g. Brazil, but the way from wanting a goal to having an agreement ratified by both countries is long and involves painful phases like getting internal agreement about the concessions made.
We all laughed at the first kids in our high school to buy cheap-o Hyundai Excels and today Hyundai is a top global brand for tech, safety, and customer satisfaction. Sure that took 20 years to get up to speed but China can probably move a lot faster given their solid digital goods footing and existing supply chains. We'll laugh at the first ones brought in from Mexico or whatever, but 10 to 15 years from now, if the Chinese are allowed to sell on reasonable footing with other foreign makers, Chinese EVs will be commonplace on US roads.
I thought Brazil was famous for their trade barriers on electronics. ISTR that was the reason that some platforms (i. e. the Sega Genesis) had absurd longevity there-- there was a local license-built version at a reasonable price, and if you wanted a PS3, you'd pay twice the price in import duties.
The Chinese cars are compelling, so I don't doubt that Washington will say "they won't look so good if the $19k starting price became $82k after penalty taxes."
I ask because AFAICT the people who are in favour of trade barriers are the same who always are. The situation doesn't seem unusual. We have roughly the usual number of populists waving footguns, etc. What am I overlooking?