China Slams New US Tariffs, Warns Trade Wars Benefit No One

China has strongly condemned a new round of tariffs imposed by the United States on imports from China and 59 other economies, warning that escalating trade restrictions serve no country's interests and risk undermining global commerce.

Speaking at a regular news briefing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticised Washington's latest trade measures, saying Beijing firmly opposes unilateral tariff actions.

"We oppose all forms of unilateral tariff measures," Lin said.

"Tariff wars and trade wars are not in the interests of any party."

The remarks came after the United States announced fresh import duties ranging from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent on products from 60 countries and territories over concerns related to alleged forced labour in supply chains.

China received the highest tariff rate of 12.5 per cent under the new policy.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the measures are intended to strengthen enforcement of Washington's ban on imports linked to forced labour.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the United States was "rigorously" implementing its forced labour import restrictions and urged trading partners to adopt similar standards.

Countries and regional blocs that have established comparable forced labour import prohibitions, including Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, were assigned the lower 10 per cent tariff rate.

Other major trading partners, including India and Japan, were also subjected to the higher 12.5 per cent levy.

The latest duties replace a temporary global tariff regime introduced earlier this year by President Donald Trump, whose administration has sought to rebuild its trade barriers after the US Supreme Court struck down several earlier tariff measures in February.

The ruling significantly curtailed the administration's ability to impose broad tariffs without additional legal processes, prompting the White House to introduce a revised framework.

The latest move threatens to renew trade tensions between the world's two largest economies after both countries had taken steps in recent months to stabilise bilateral relations.

China and the United States reached a trade truce following a meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump last October, easing months of escalating tariff disputes.

Earlier this year, following President Trump's visit to Beijing, Chinese officials said both governments had agreed to work toward reducing tariffs and expanding economic cooperation.

However, the newly announced duties have raised concerns that progress made under that understanding could come under renewed strain.

While Beijing stopped short of announcing immediate retaliatory measures, Chinese officials reiterated their opposition to unilateral trade restrictions and signalled that China would continue defending what it considers its legitimate trade interests.

The latest tariff dispute adds another layer of uncertainty to global trade as businesses continue to navigate shifting supply chains, geopolitical tensions and increasing protectionist policies among major economies.

AFP