U.S. Tariffs Spark Chinese Condemnation

BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese commerce ministry condemned U.S. tariffs as “vile” and “unilateralist”, escalating global trade tensions after President Trump threatened import duties on major U.S. trading partners.

He Yongqian, a ministry spokesperson, stated at a regular news conference that China is ready to collaborate with other countries to confront unilateralism and trade protectionism. This comment came in response to impending U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

On Monday, Trump postponed his 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada for 30 days, as both countries committed to enhancing border enforcement efforts.

Conversely, the U.S. implemented a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, with Trump warning potential increases.

The U.S. claims that China is the primary source of precursor chemicals for fentanyl synthesized in Mexico. However, China asserts it has made significant strides in addressing the chemical and drug trade and plans to contest the tariffs at the World Trade Organization.

While China’s commerce ministry expressed a willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue, it will also take necessary measures to defend its rights against what it sees as unilateralist “bullying.”