The idea is to get closer to the ideal of mythical “Free Trade”, but Free Trade is something we’ve never had. Tariffs are a useful tool to get concessions and leverage in order to get a fairer deal on trade in the long run.
Of course.
We take some pain, they take some pain, hopefully it works out to a deal we’ll like better than the current situation.
In reverse, the Chinese subsidize strategic industries, see that there’s a labor cost advantage by holding down wages, etc.,
A key idea of free trade is that governments are out of the picture, so that comparative advantage is determined “honestly” (for lack of a better word).