I thought it is a US led Western order that wanted free market access and that protectionism was decried as part of Communist/Socialist ideology. Clearly that order has collapsed with all the Western hypocrisy that comes with it.
It isn’t hypocritical.
It is obviously smart statecraft.
You're wrong. Protectionism is an economic policy where a government tries to protect domestic businesses and industries from foreign competition.
This is not that.
> Protectionism is an economic policy where a government tries to protect domestic businesses and industries from foreign competition
This is exactly that.
I don't recall Western pundits saying it is smart statecraft when China erected the Great Firewall.
> Preventing your government services from being dependent on a geopolitical foe is not protectionism.
That is exactly protectionism.