China has warned that it’s ready to fight “any type” of war amid President Donald Trump’s increasing trade tariffs on the country.
Earlier this week, Trump announced an additional 10 percent tariff on China on top of a 10 percent increase he had already imposed in February. China swiftly retaliated by imposing a 10-15 percent tariff on U.S. farm products, as concerns over a trade war continue to mount.
Releasing a statement on X Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian warned that “intimidation” and “bullying” will not work, adding that “pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China.”
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Jian slammed the Trump administration’s citing of fentanyl as a reason to impose increased tariffs on Chinese imports, describing it as a “flimsy excuse” and claiming that “the U.S., not anyone else, is responsible for the #FentanylCrisis inside the U.S.”
“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,” Jian continued.
“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,” he 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.”
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. proceeded to repost Jian’s statement and additionally stressed on his closing argument warning on preparedness for “any other type of war.”
The president has repeatedly claimed strict tariffs will help crack down on fentanyl distribution across the border, subsequently imposing a 25 percent tariff on exports from Canada and Mexico as well, despite that causing stock markets to plunge.
At the start of his second term, Trump revealed he had invited President Xi Jinping to his inauguration. He also claimed that the two had a “great phone call” days before he assumed office.
