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China will fight “to the end” if the U.S. presses forward with its tariff plans and a trade war erupts, a top official said Tuesday.
Beijing’s Foreign Ministry weighed in after President Trump threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods, citing the communist government’s decision to retaliate against his “Liberation Day” tariff system of levies against all nations.
“We Chinese are not troublemakers, but we will not flinch when trouble comes our way. Intimidation, threats and blackmail are not the right way to engage with China,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. “If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff and trade war, China’s response will continue to the end.”
The Chinese dug in even as other Asian nations struck a conciliatory tone toward the White House.
Countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh and Japan have sought negotiations to reduce their tariffs or trade barriers on U.S. goods, hoping to avoid the hefty levies Mr. Trump announced earlier this month.
Yet Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has fashioned himself as a strong and proud leader, is unlikely to bow to Mr. Trump’s demands even if a tit-for-tat might damage his nation’s economy.
SEE ALSO: Trump threatens 100%-plus tariffs on China as trade battles intensify
Mr. Trump said he likes Mr. Xi personally but feels the U.S. is getting ripped off by China and other nations that send their goods to the U.S. consumer market but don’t buy sufficient American products.
Mr. Trump imposed a 34% reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods as part of the tariff plan, on top of a prior levy of 20%. China retaliated immediately with a 34% tariff on U.S. goods, and Mr. Trump threatened an additional levy that would bring China’s total rate to 104%.
A 100%-plus tariff on things like toys and other goods produced in China could be debilitating and could upend the market for those goods.
“Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social.
Mr. Lin said “judging from its actions, the U.S. doesn’t seem to be serious about having talks right now.”
“If the U.S. truly wants to talk, it should let people see that they’re ready to treat others with equality, respect and mutual benefit,” he said.
SEE ALSO: Trump won’t pause the launch of new tariffs
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Beijing is making a “big mistake” with retaliatory measures.
“What do we lose by the Chinese raising tariffs on us? We export one-fifth to them of what they export to us, so that is a losing hand for them,” he told CNBC on Tuesday.
Mr. Bessent said the U.S. should be able to strike deals with other countries if they offer “solid proposals,” and he described Mr. Trump’s long-term vision.
“If we put up a tariff wall, the ultimate goal would be to bring jobs back to the U.S. But in the meantime, we will be collecting substantial tariffs,” the Treasury secretary said. “If we’re successful, tariffs would be a melting ice cube, in a way, because you’re taking in the revenues as the manufacturing facilities are built in the U.S., and there should be some level of symmetry between the taxes we begin taking in with the new industry from the payroll taxes as the tariffs decline.”
English (US) ·