They finally admit what all alert observers already know: that they are persecuting China because it 1) does things differently from them and 2) it is beating them in peaceful competition.

By doing so, they are declaring to the world that no one will be allowed to do things differently from the US and succeed. If they do, they will be persecuted, punished and destroyed:

"Market-based US and European economies are struggling to survive against China's 'very effective' alternative economic model, a top US trade representative has warned.

"Katherine Tai told a briefing in Brussels on Thursday that Beijing’s 'non-market' policies will cause severe economic and political damage, unless they are tackled through appropriate 'countermeasures'...

"The US trade chief called for 'defensive' policies such as tariffs, as well as measures that are 'more on the offense,' including 'incentive measures to correct for a market dynamic that is not playing out in our favor'."