China’s Ministry of Commerce on Friday expressed strong disapproval of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent declaration to intensify tariffs on Chinese goods, warning of potential counteractions if required.
A spokesperson of the ministry emphasized that if the U.S. continues its current approach, China is prepared to implement all necessary measures to safeguard its rightful interests. The statement also urged the U.S. to avoid past mistakes and to restore dialogue aimed at resolving disputes fairly.
This response came after Trump announced plans on Thursday to enforce an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports starting March 4, coinciding with the commencement of China’s annual parliamentary meetings. The upcoming tariffs, announced on Thursday, would be on top of the 10% tariffs previously introduced on February 4.
Trump justified the tariff increases as a reaction to China’s involvement in the fentanyl trade, where precursors largely manufactured in China and Mexico contribute to the opioid crisis responsible for numerous overdose deaths in the U.S. annually.
Neil Thomas from the Asia Society anticipated China’s immediate actions could include boosting tariffs on selected American imports, naming more U.S. companies as unreliable entities, and possibly tightening export regulations on key minerals.
Meanwhile, he anticipated that Beijing’s response is likely to be cautious, as President Xi Jinping is motivated to engage with his U.S. counterpart in discussions to prevent actions that could further strain China’s already slow economic growth.
Alfredo Montufar-Helu of The Conference Board suggested China’s next moves might aim at sectors important to Trump supporters, signaling Beijing’s preference for maintaining some negotiation space to avert more intense tariffs and other restrictive measures from Washington.
Following the initial February tariffs, China retaliated by increasing duties on some U.S. energy imports and listing two U.S. companies as unreliable. The world’s second-largest economy has also tightened export controls on essential minerals critical to U.S. industries.
Stephen Olson, from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, remarked that China’s most powerful strategy would be to limit U.S. access to key minerals not easily sourced from elsewhere.
