China opposes new US tariffs, warns against trade wars

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Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping

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Beijing condemned fresh US tariffs imposed on China and 59 other countries over alleged forced labour concerns Friday, and warned Washington against waging a trade war.

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The US levies range from 10 to 12.5 percent, with China slapped with the highest rate.

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“We oppose all forms of unilateral tariff measures,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news briefing on Friday.

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“Tariff wars and trade wars are not in the interests of any party,” he warned.

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The new tariffs replace an expiring global duty rolled out by President Donald Trump earlier this year.

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The Trump administration has moved swiftly to rebuild the president’s tariff wall after the Supreme Court struck down a host of his duties in February — dealing a blow to his ability to unleash steep levies at will.

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In unveiling the duties, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington was “rigorously” enforcing a forced labour import ban and that it was “well past time for our trading partners to do the same”.

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Economies that have implemented a forced labour prohibition — including Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom — received the lower 10-percent rate.

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Other major trade partners including India and Japan were hit with the higher 12.5-percent tariffs.

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China and the United States, which spent much of last year embroiled in an escalating trade war, reached a truce when Trump and President Xi Jinping met last October.

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After Trump visited Beijing this year, China said it would work with the United States on reducing tariffs, but the latest levies threaten to renew trade tensions.

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AFP

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