Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on China if it does not reverse last week’s decision to impose an additional 34% tariff on American goods by April 8. In total, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will increase by 104%.
As a representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 7, this is bullying by the United States towards China, and threats and pressure are not the right way to deal with China. He called the tariffs „unilateral, economic bullying and protectionism“. At a press conference, he noted that the US tariffs in the name of reciprocity only serve its own interests at the expense of other countries.
“The abuse of tariffs by states deprives countries in the global south of their right to development,” Lin said, citing the widening gap between the rich and the poor in each country, especially in less developed countries.
Lin called on other states to stand together against unilateralism and protectionism, and to uphold the international and multilateral trading system in line with the values of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
China refuses to bow to US “blackmail.” The commerce minister said that the US threat to escalate trade with China is a big mistake and, in addition, once again reveals the US’s blackmailing nature. “If the US does not change its course, China will continue to fight to the end,” Wang Wentao said.
In spite of this, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji assured American companies, including Tesla and GE Healthcare, that the country will always protect foreign-funded companies operating in China, including American companies.
“China has been, is, and will be an ‘ideal, safe and promising investment destination for foreign investors,’” Ling said at a meeting in Beijing on Sunday attended by more than 20 U.S.-funded companies. Ling said Beijing will not hold American companies accountable as President Trump escalates his tariff war with the rest of the world, including China.
At a meeting of the World Trade Organization on April 9, China plans to raise the United States’ retaliatory tariffs as a “new trade concern.” China has already filed a formal complaint with the Geneva-based watchdog.
