- China accuses the US of ignoring its own benefits from international trade.
- China criticizes the US for grossly violating WTO regulations.
- China reaffirms its commitment to openness regardless of international changes.
The Chinese government has issued a strong rebuke against the tariffs introduced by the Trump administration, asserting that these measures contravene essential economic principles and market norms while undermining the balanced outcomes stemming from multilateral trade negotiations, as reported by Xinhua.
According to the Chinese statement, these actions overlook how the United States has historically gained significantly from global trade.
Utilizing tariffs as a method of severe pressure for self-serving ends exemplifies unilateralism, protectionism, and economic intimidation, the statement further added.
Recently, the US has applied tariffs under various justifications against all its trading partners, including China, which encroaches on the legitimate rights and interests of other nations.
This strategy constitutes a severe breach of World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations, negatively impacting the multilateral trading framework and destabilizing the global economic order.
Moreover, the statement articulated that, while the US claims to pursue “reciprocity” and “fairness,” it engages in zero-sum tactics, genuinely aiming for an “America First” agenda and promoting the notion of American superiority.
The US is said to be manipulating tariffs to disrupt the current international economic and trade order, placing its own interests above global wellbeing and compromising the legitimate interests of countries worldwide to further its hegemonic ambitions.
“Such actions will inevitably meet with widespread backlash from the international community,” the statement emphasized.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that as the world’s second-largest economy and its second-largest consumer market, China will continue to embrace openness, regardless of how international situations may evolve.
The statement insisted that economic globalization is essential for the advancement of human society. The WTO-centered rules-based multilateral trading system has made significant contributions to enhancing global trade, economic growth, and sustainable development.
“It is a collective responsibility of the global community to foster economic globalization in a way that is open, inclusive, beneficial for all, and balanced,” it stated.
The statement concluded by asserting that trade wars yield no winners and that protectionism leads to inevitable failure. All nations should adhere to the principles of comprehensive consultation, collective contributions, and mutual benefits, promote genuine multilateralism, collaborate against all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, and uphold the international system led by the United Nations alongside the WTO-driven multilateral trading framework.
Finally, it expressed confidence that the vast majority of nations prioritizing fairness and justice will choose the right path in history, making decisions that align with their own interests. The world must champion equity over dominance.
