What Happened With Washington's targeting of Huawei raising tensions to new heights, the U.S.-China trade conflict shows no signs of abating. Now, the Chinese government has hardened its position on trade and is seeking to fan the flames of nationalist sentiment. Five days after Washington increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods, state broadcaster CCTV on May 13 used its most popular news program to issue a strongly worded statement exuding confidence in China's ability to stand up to the United States. The tone stood in marked contrast to Beijing's relatively muted attitude in the preceding months as trade talks dragged on. The statement coincided with Beijing's announcement of retaliatory tariffs and a high-level Politburo meeting, suggesting a degree of consensus among China's top leadership.