China responds again to Trump's tariffs: Beijing's answer revealed
Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian (Photo: Getty Images)
Official Beijing sharply criticized the new US tariffs on imports, calling them economic blackmail and expressing readiness to defend its interests, states the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian.
At a press conference, the diplomat was asked whether there was a likelihood of upcoming talks between the Presidents of China and the United States regarding the new controversial tariffs.
"We have stressed more than once that pressuring or threatening China is not a right way to engage with us. China will firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," said the spokesperson of the diplomatic mission.
When asked whether Beijing intends to take measures to minimize or eliminate the consequences of the tariff hikes, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the Chinese government has expressed its fair position on this abuse.
Lin Jian pointed out that the US tariff hikes on all trading partners, including China, under various pretexts, seriously violate the legitimate rights and interests of countries, breach World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, undermine the rule-based multilateral trading system, and destabilize the global economic order.
"The Chinese government strongly deplores and firmly rejects this. What the US has done is a typical move of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying. It will hurt the US itself as well as others," said Jian.
Donald Trump's trade war
Last week, the US imposed tariffs on a wide range of imported goods from most countries around the world. The tariffs range from 10% to 50%, and they have had a significant negative impact on global stock exchanges, leading to a sharp decline in indices.
In particular, the US imposed a 34% import tariff on China. In response, Beijing announced that it would introduce a similar 34% tariff on US imports.
Trump did not stop there and raised the tariff on Chinese imports from 34% to 50%. The Chinese Embassy in the US issued a statement saying that pressure or threats against China are an incorrect way to engage.
In China, the new tariffs were criticized for their impact on global markets, and calls were made for the US to engage in consultations.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that nearly 70 countries around the world have reached out to Washington, requesting negotiations on the new tariffs.
