I wonder if this is incompetence, design, or both? Tariffs are nothing more than an inefficient, protectionist tax on the recipient state's people UNLESS your aim is to increase rent-seeking/favor-requesting behavior from industry in order to get them in your pocket politically. Then it's an inefficient, protectionist tax on the people, but a very efficient way to have increased political power for the regime. Who cares if everyone suffers? Public Choice Theory at its finest.