China has issued a warning to the United States regarding escalating tensions related to President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on various goods from the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that these tariffs are part of a broader strategy aimed at addressing issues such as illegal drug trafficking and undocumented immigration.
Trump announced that he would be implementing a 25 percent duty on all imports from Mexico and most goods from Canada, alongside a 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, which was later increased to 20 percent. These three countries represent the largest trading partners of the United States.
While Canada and Mexico managed to negotiate a temporary pause on the tariffs, this reprieve came to an end on Monday when Trump announced the resumption of the taxes. In response, China has taken steps to challenge the tariffs through the World Trade Organization (WTO), which has cautioned that a trade war could lead to severe economic repercussions.
China plans to impose tariffs ranging from 10 to 15 percent on certain imports from the U.S., effective March 10, and has introduced new export restrictions on specific American entities. In its critique of the U.S. tariffs, the Chinese foreign ministry referred to the American initiative to combat fentanyl as a “flimsy” justification for increasing taxes.
“The U.S., not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the U.S,” the ministry said in a statement.
“In the spirit of humanity and goodwill towards the American people, we have taken robust steps to assist the U.S. in dealing with the issue.
“Instead of recognizing our efforts, the U.S. has sought to smear and shift blame to China, and is seeking to pressure and blackmail China with tariff hikes.
“Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China.”
The ministry warned that anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating.
“If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals,” the statement added.
“If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”
