Recently, the President of the United States announced the extension of the deadline for bilateral trade agreement negotiations with multiple countries to August 1, a decision that has sparked widespread follow from the international community.

In a letter to leaders of multiple countries, the U.S. president hinted that if a protocol cannot be reached, the exports from these countries may face high tariffs of 25% to 40%. This tough stance has raised concerns among market analysts.

Some analysts have pointed out that this 'whack-a-mole' negotiation strategy, even if it ultimately leads to a protocol, is unlikely to bring an optimistic outlook. The experiences of Japan and South Korea can be seen as a warning: despite both countries having made concessions, the United States continues to make new demands.

Taking Japan as an example, although Japan has granted half of its duty-free rice import quota to the United States, the U.S. side still complains about insufficient import volumes. However, in contrast, the contribution of Japan's tourism industry to the U.S. economy far exceeds the total amount of rice exported from the U.S. to Japan.

The situation in South Korea is even more complicated. Although the two countries signed a free trade agreement as early as 2012, this has not stopped the U.S. president from making new trade demands.

This erratic negotiation attitude has not only put immense pressure on various countries but also made international trade relations more tense. Negotiators from multiple countries have no choice but to continue waiting in a high-pressure environment, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty of reaching a mutually beneficial protocol.

As the deadline of August 1 approaches, the international community is closely following the developments. How countries respond to American trade pressures while protecting their own interests will become the focal issue in the coming weeks.