‘If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff or trade war, we’re ready’ – China 

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 20%, prompting China to retaliate with 15% tariffs on American agricultural products.

In a statement shared on X, the Chinese Embassy in Washington asserted: “If war is what the U.S. wants—be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war—we’re ready to fight till the end.” 

The Embassy further addressed the fentanyl issue, suggesting that the United States is using the crisis as a pretext for imposing tariffs.

It stated, “If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.”  

The Embassy criticized the U.S.’s approach, describing it as “a flimsy excuse to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports” and reaffirmed the legitimacy of China’s countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests.

China emphasized that the U.S., not anyone else, is accountable for the fentanyl crisis within its borders. The Embassy highlighted Beijing’s proactive measures to assist the U.S. in managing the issue, noting, “In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, [China] has taken robust steps to assist the U.S. in dealing with the issue.” 

However, China expressed frustration over what it described as Washington’s ungrateful and coercive tactics. “Instead of recognizing our efforts, the U.S. has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes. They’ve been PUNISHING us for helping them. This is not going to solve the U.S.’s problem and will undermine our counternarcotics dialogue and cooperation.” 

In a firm warning, the Embassy emphasized, “Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion, or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating.” 

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that Canada has imposed 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. imports in response to Washington’s latest trade measures.

This move follows the U.S.’s decision to implement 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, alongside increased levies on goods from China.

Trudeau, speaking on X (formerly Twitter), stated, “The moment U.S. tariffs came into effect this morning, so did the Canadian response. Canada will be implementing 25% tariffs against $155 billion of American products.”

He added that $30 billion worth of goods would be targeted immediately, with the remaining $125 billion to follow in 21 days.