China has firmly rejected the latest tariff escalation threat issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling a deepening trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Commerce Ministry, through state news agency Xinhua, declared its unwavering opposition to Washington’s proposed 50% tariff hike on Chinese imports, vowing to take decisive countermeasures to protect its national interests.
In a strongly worded statement, the Commerce Ministry criticized the U.S. for what it described as “unilateral bullying” and “blackmail.”
The Ministry asserted that the proposed tariff escalation is both groundless and a violation of international trade norms.
“China will fight till the end if the U.S. side is bent on going down the wrong path,” the Ministry declared.
It emphasized that China’s countermeasures are legitimate actions aimed at safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and developmental interests while maintaining a stable international trade order.
The Ministry further accused the U.S. of compounding its mistakes with the tariff escalation threat, which it argued undermines global trade stability.
President Trump, in a social media post on Monday, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Beijing, demanding the withdrawal of its recently announced 34% retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods.
President Trump has consistently framed his tariff strategy as a means to level the playing field for American industries and address the longstanding trade imbalance between the two nations.
In an earlier post on his X account, Trump described China as “the biggest abuser” of free trade with the United States.
China’s resolute stance and the U.S. administration’s aggressive tariff strategy underscore the high stakes in this ongoing trade war, leaving the international community bracing for potential ripple effects.