China has accused the United States of misusing tariffs and cautioned other nations against entering broader economic agreements with Washington that could be detrimental to Beijing. This warning comes amid escalating tensions in the ongoing trade conflict between the world’s two largest economies.
In a statement issued on Monday, China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that it would strongly oppose any country making deals that undermine China’s interests and would respond with firm and reciprocal measures.
The response follows a Bloomberg report suggesting that the Trump administration plans to pressure countries seeking tariff reductions or exemptions from the U.S. to limit trade with China, potentially introducing financial penalties.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump implemented wide-ranging tariffs but exempted all countries except China, targeting the Asian powerhouse with the harshest levies. In retaliation, Beijing imposed its own duties on U.S. goods, raising tariffs to 125%, while Washington escalated Chinese import tariffs to 145%. Despite the tit-for-tat measures, China signalled last week that its tariffs would not be raised further.
“The United States has abused tariffs on all trading partners under the banner of so-called ‘equivalence’, while also forcing all parties to start so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ negotiations with them,” a ministry spokesperson said.
The ministry reaffirmed China’s commitment to defending its economic interests and its willingness to strengthen international cooperation against what it described as unjust trade practices.
In a move to further its opposition, China will host an informal United Nations Security Council meeting this week to accuse the United States of economic bullying and undermining global peace and development efforts through the weaponisation of tariffs.
Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer revealed that nearly 50 countries had reached out to discuss the additional tariffs imposed by Trump. Several bilateral negotiations have since taken place, including talks with Japan, which is considering increasing imports of U.S. soybeans and rice, and Indonesia, which is looking to buy more U.S. goods while reducing imports from other countries.
Despite growing concerns, Chinese stock markets edged higher on Monday, though investor sentiment remains cautious due to broader economic uncertainties.
The Trump administration has also taken steps to curtail China’s advancement in the semiconductor industry—citing national security concerns—and recently introduced port fees on vessels built in China to limit its dominance in global shipbuilding.