China Opposes New U.S. Tariffs, Warns of Retaliation

The Ministry of Commerce in China strongly opposed recent tariff threats from the U.S. President Donald Trump by issuing a warning about potential Chinese retaliation.

Chinese authorities released this statement after the U.S. announced new 10% tariffs on imports which would start on March 4 during China’s parliamentary meeting period.

“If the U.S. insists on its own way, China will take all necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests. We urge the U.S. side to not repeat its own mistakes, and to return as soon as possible to the right track of properly resolving conflicts through dialogue on equal footing,” a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement.

The newly developed duties will be added to the existing 10% duties Trump put on China on February 4. Trump revealed the two rounds of tariffs existed because China participated in the fentanyl distribution. Each year in the United States tens of thousands of people die from overdose-related deaths caused by the addictive drug which originates mainly from Chinese and Mexican facilities.

Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society, said “In the short term, China’s response will likely include raising tariffs on select U.S. imports, adding more American firms to its unreliable entity list, and potentially further tightening export controls on critical minerals.”

The situation will remain measured according to his analysis since Chinese President Xi Jinping intends to enter talks with the U.S. president to avoid economic deterioration affecting China's slow-growth economy.

China wants to maintain diplomatic possibilities to stop Washington from increasing tariffs or using more trade supplements.