China has cautioned that it would retaliate against governments who engage in agreements with the US detrimental to Beijing’s interests, as the trade conflict between the two largest economies threatens to include other countries.
The remarks follow reports indicating that the US intends to coerce nations into limiting trade with China in return for exemptions from US tariffs.
The Trump administration has initiated discussions with trade partners over tariffs, with a Japanese team having visited Washington last week and South Korea scheduled to start negotiations this week.
Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has enacted substantial tariffs on Chinese imports, while other nations have also faced duties on their products.
A spokeswoman for the Chinese Commerce Ministry said, “Appeasement cannot achieve peace, and compromise cannot garner respect.”
China categorically rejects any entity negotiating an agreement that undermines its interests. Should this occur, China will categorically reject it and will decisively implement countermeasures.
The comments mirrored an editorial published last week in the state-controlled China Daily, which cautioned the European Union against attempting to “appease” the United States.
The remarks followed reports indicating that the United States intends to use tariff discussions to compel several nations to establish additional trade barriers against China.
The BBC has requested replies from the US Treasury Department and the US Trade Representative about the claims.
Trump has said that over 70 nations have initiated contact to begin discussions since the announcement of the tariffs.
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Jesper Koll of Monex Group said that around 20% of Japan’s profitability is derived from the United States, while around 15% originates from the People’s Republic of China.
“Japan is unwilling to choose between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.”
Japan started discussions with the United States this week when its chief tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, spoke with the US President in Washington, DC.
South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, said that trade negotiations with the United States would begin later this week.
US Vice President JD Vance is anticipated to confer with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to the country this week.
India will incur a tariff rate of 26% if it fails to negotiate a trade agreement with the Trump administration.
Last week, Vance said that there was a “favorable probability” of concluding a trade agreement with the UK.
“We are diligently collaborating with Keir Starmer’s administration,” he said in an interview with the UnHerd website.
Since Trump’s inauguration, many pronouncements about tariffs have emerged.
The US president said that import tariffs would incentivize American customers to purchase domestically produced items, augment tax revenue, and stimulate significant investments inside the nation.
Critics assert that the repatriation of manufacturing to the United States is complex and may need decades, during which the economy would face challenges.
Trump has reversed several of his declarations.
Shortly after the implementation of substantial tariffs on several trade partners of the United States earlier this month, he declared a 90-day suspension of those duties for all nations except China, in response to increasing dissent from legislators and the financial markets.
Trump has placed tariffs as high as 145% on goods from China. Other nations are now subjected to a comprehensive US tax of 10% until July.
The government said last week that the imposition of additional tariffs, in conjunction with current ones, could result in duties on some Chinese imports reaching 245%.
China has retaliated with a 125% tariff on American exports and pledged to “fight to the end.”
This month’s trade spat between the two largest global economies disrupted international financial markets.
