The Chinese Foreign Ministry yesterday denounced US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on China, stressing that it will take the necessary countermeasures to firmly protect Beijing’s legitimate rights and interests, and that there are no winners in trade wars.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its official website that “China expresses its strong condemnation and opposition to the United States imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese products exported to the United States due to fentanyl, and will take the necessary countermeasures to firmly protect its legitimate rights and interests.”
The statement continued that “China’s position is firm and resolute in this regard, as there is no winner in trade wars and tariff wars.
The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization, and not only does it not solve its problems, but it also harms both sides and does not benefit the world.”
“China is one of the countries with the most stringent and comprehensive anti-drug policy in the world. Fentanyl is America’s problem. In the spirit of humanity, China has provided support to the United States in its response to the fentanyl problem,” the statement added.
At the request of the United States, China officially announced adding fentanyl to the list of controlled substances in 2019, becoming the first country in the world to take such measures.
In addition, the ministry pointed out that China and the United States have carried out extensive anti-drug cooperation and achieved significant results, which is an obvious fact.
The statement added: “The United States should view and handle the fentanyl issue objectively and rationally, instead of threatening other countries with tariffs.”
It also called on Washington to “correct its wrong practices, maintain the hard-won good situation of China-US anti-drug cooperation, and promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations.”
Trump had previously announced plans to increase tariffs by 10% on goods imported from China and signed an executive order to impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada.
During his first term as US president, Trump imposed new tariffs on steel and aluminum. In late 2022, another trade war loomed between the US and its European partners after the US passed an anti-inflation law that Europe described as unfair competition. In response, the European Union imposed tariffs on US goods
