Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, China has finally issued a statement in response. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it “firmly deplores and opposes” the US imposition of 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods. They have vowed to take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.
China has said that the US unilateral tariff hikes severely violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that this move cannot solve the problems of the US at home and does not benefit either side.
China Calls It Violation Of WTO Rules
China will file a lawsuit with the WTO regarding US “wrongful practices” in imposing tariffs on Chinese goods and will take “countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests”, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced in a statement on Sunday, Global Times reported. The ministry further said, “China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes US tariffs imposed on Chinese goods.”
In a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “The US has levied a 10 per cent additional tariff on Chinese imports under the pretext of the fentanyl issue. China firmly deplores and opposes this move and will take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.”
“China’s position is firm and consistent. Trade and tariff wars have no winners. The U.S.’s unilateral tariff hikes severely violate WTO rules. This move cannot solve the US’s problems at home and more importantly, does not benefit either side, still less the world,” the spokesperson added.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said that the decision of the US administration does not contribute to resolving its own issues. It added that the decision also undermines normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the US. China expressed hope that the US will view and address its own, such as fentanyl, in an “objective and rational manner, instead of using tariffs as a coercive measure against other nations,” Global Times reported.
According to the statement, China urged US to correct its “erroneous practices”, meet the Chinese side halfway, confront issues directly, engage in candid dialogue, strengthen cooperation, and manage differences based on equality, mutual benefit, and respect.
In the statement, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China has one of the strictest and most thorough drug control policies in the world and called fentanyl crisis a US issue. China has supported US efforts to address fentanyl crisis and at the request of US, China became the first country in 2019 to officially list the entire class of fentanyl substances, Global Times reported.
