借助这一地位，北京会利用贸易来惩罚那些拒绝听从其号令的国家，包括对特定产品实施进口禁令，停止战略性出口（如稀土矿产 ） ， 减少中国游客数量以及鼓励国内消费者抵制或抗议外国企业。
Beijing has leveraged this role by employing trade to punish those that refuse to toe its line, including by imposing import bans on specific products, halting strategic exports (such as rare-earth minerals), cutting off tourism from China, and encouraging domestic consumer boycotts or protests against foreign businesses.