Ministry of Commerce: If the US Continues Its Tariff Number Game, China Will Not Engage

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce responded to journalists' inquiries regarding China's countermeasures against the U.S. decision to further increase tariffs on Chinese goods.

Journalist: On April 10, Eastern Time, the U.S. issued an executive order to further increase the "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese exports to the U.S. We have noted that China has taken corresponding tariff countermeasures. What is China's comment on this?

Answer: On April 10, Eastern Time, the U.S. issued an executive order to further increase the "reciprocal tariffs" on Chinese products. We have noted that the tariff rate imposed by the U.S. executive order on Chinese products is 41%, which is 20 percentage points higher than the previously announced tariff hike. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the U.S.'s arbitrary unilateral tariff measures and has resolutely taken countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.

The U.S.'s arbitrary imposition of unilateral tariffs severely violates international trade rules, goes against basic economic principles and common sense, and has caused severe shocks and turbulence to the current world economy, global markets, and the multilateral trading system. The U.S. should bear full responsibility for this.

We have noted that under pressure from China and other parties, the U.S. has temporarily suspended the imposition of high reciprocal tariffs on some trading partners. This is only a symbolic small step and does not change the U.S.'s nature of seeking self-interest through trade extortion. China urges the U.S. to take a big step in canceling the so-called "reciprocal tariffs" and thoroughly correct its wrong practices.

The U.S.'s repeated imposition of excessively high tariffs on China has become a numbers game, which is economically meaningless and only further exposes the U.S.'s tactics of using tariffs as a tool and weapon for bullying and coercion, turning it into a joke. If the U.S. continues its tariff numbers game, China will ignore it. However, if the U.S. insists on continuing to substantially infringe on China's rights and interests, China will resolutely counter and engage to the end.

On April 9, the Chinese government released the white paper "China's Position on Several Issues in China-U.S. Economic and Trade Relations," reiterating China's consistent stance on China-U.S. economic and trade relations. The essence of China-U.S. economic and trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win. There are no winners in a trade war, and protectionism offers no way out. China is open to consultations with the U.S., but threats and pressure are not the right way to deal with China. The U.S. should, on the basis of mutual respect, resolve differences with China through equal dialogue. China will unwaveringly focus on its own affairs, respond to various uncertainties in the external environment with its own certainty, and continue to be a stabilizing anchor in a turbulent world.