China ordered Washington on Wednesday to “stop threatening and blackmailing” after US President Donald Trump claimed that it was up to Beijing to come to the bargaining table to discuss resolving their trade war.
Trump has placed new tariffs on both allies and rivals alike but has reserved his toughest measures for China, with new charges of up to 145 per cent on numerous Chinese imports, even as Beijing retaliates with duties of 125 percent on US goods.
Lin Jian, a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, stated that if the United States is sincere about resolving the matter via dialogue and negotiation, it should cease using excessive pressure, cease threatening and blackmailing, and start discussions with China on the basis of equality, respect, and mutual gain.
China has maintained a very clear stance. Both a trade war and a tariff war have no winner, Lin continued, adding that “China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to fight.”
Tariffs on some Chinese goods have increased to 245 percent as a result of Trump’s additional taxes; the White House said in a factsheet on Tuesday that this level was “a result of retaliatory actions.”
Although it did not specify the range of products impacted, Beijing’s commerce ministry later said that it had “noted that the cumulative tariffs on some individual Chinese exports to the US have reached 245 percent under various designations.”
The ministry declared that China would “ignore the US’s utterly meaningless tariff numbers game” and that “the United States has instrumentalized and weaponized tariffs to an utterly irrational level.”
Trump initially imposed 20 percent tariffs on imports from China owing to its suspected role in the fentanyl supply chain, in addition to duties from previous administrations, then added 125 per cent sanctions over trade practices that Washington believes unfair.
However, his administration has provided a temporary amnesty for certain tech devices, such as cellphones and laptops.
Economists warn that the conflict might trigger a worldwide recession, but the White House said Tuesday that Beijing must take the initiative to resolve it.In a statement read by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump stated, “The ball is in China’s court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them.” China Growth China announced on Wednesday that its economy grew by a forecast-beating 5.4 percent in the first quarter as exporters scrambled to ship goods ahead of US levies.
“The escalation happening in April is going to be felt in the second-quarter figures, as the tariffs will send US firms looking for other suppliers, impeding Chinese exports and slowing investment,” Heron Lim from Moody’s Analytics told AFP.
Japan’s envoy for talks in Washington, slated for Wednesday, expressed optimism for a “win-win” outcome for both countries.
Ryosei Akazawa, who was set to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, said he would “protect our national interest.”
Carmaker Honda announced on Wednesday that it would shift production of its hybrid Civic model from Japan to the United States, although this represents a very small part of its global output.
“The rationale behind the decision is not a single issue,” a spokesman for the Japanese firm said. “The decision is based on the company’s policy since its foundation to produce cars where demand exists.”
South Korea, another major exporter, particularly of semiconductors and cars, stated that Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok would meet Bessent next week.
“The current priority is to use negotiations… to delay the imposition of reciprocal tariffs as much as possible and minimise uncertainty for Korean companies operating not only in the US but also in global markets,” Choi said on Tuesday.
Trump has imposed steep duties on imports from China since the start of the year, alongside his 10 percent “baseline” tariff on many US trading partners.
His administration has recently widened its exemptions from those tariffs, excluding certain tech products like smartphones and laptops from the global 10 percent tariff and the 125 percent levy on China.
Chip stocks across Asia slumped after Nvidia warned it expects a $5.5 billion hit due to a new US licensing requirement on the primary chip it can legally sell in China.
Trump also ordered a probe on Tuesday that may result in tariffs on critical minerals, rare-earth metals, and associated products such as smartphones.
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