China has issued a stern warning to any nation that forges trade agreements with the United States at its expense, signaling a readiness to implement countermeasures.
The Commerce Ministry of China released this statement on Monday, intensifying the ongoing discourse surrounding the protracted trade conflict between the nations ranked as the world’s largest economies.
“China strongly opposes any party reaching an agreement that detracts from China’s interests,” the ministry said. “Should that occur, China will categorically reject it and will resolutely enact reciprocal countermeasures. China is determined and capable of defending its rights and interests.”
The statement further asserted, “Submissiveness will not foster peace, and compromise will not be honored.”
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On April 2, President Donald Trump temporarily halted a series of extensive tariffs on various countries, although he maintained a staggering 145% tariff on goods imported from China. In retaliation, Beijing has imposed a 125% duty on U.S. imports.
In a recent update, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer noted that nearly 50 countries have approached U.S. officials to engage in discussions about the tariffs.
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On Thursday, Trump projected optimism that a trade agreement with China could be reached within three to four weeks.
“They have reached out a number of times,” Trump said, referencing communication with senior Chinese officials. When asked about the frequency of contact since the announcement of the tariff hike from 54% to 145%, he remarked, “A lot.”
Nevertheless, China has vowed to persist in the trade conflict “to the end,” demanding that negotiations can only resume when the U.S. adopts an approach characterized by “equality, respect, and mutual benefit.”
Finance Newso News Digital’s Alec Schemmel and Reuters contributed to this report.
