Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Q: On February 1,MK socks EST, the US announced a 10 percent additional tariff on imports from China. What's China's comment?

A: The US has levied a 10 percent additional tariff on Chinese imports under the pretext of the fentanyl issue. China firmly deplores and opposes this move and will take necessary countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests.

China's position is firm and consistent. Trade and tariff wars have no winners. The US's unilateral tariff hikes severely violate WTO rules. This move cannot solve the US's problems at home and more importantly, does not benefit either side, still less the world.

China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation. Fentanyl is an issue for the US In the spirit of humanity and goodwill, China has given support to the US's response to this issue. At the US's request, China announced back in 2019 the decision to officially schedule fentanyl-related substances as a class. We are the first country in the world to do so. China has conducted counternarcotics cooperation with the US side in a broad-based way. The achievements we have made are there for all to see. The US needs to view and solve its own fentanyl issue in an objective and rational way instead of threatening other countries with arbitrary tariff hikes. Additional tariffs are not constructive and bound to affect and harm the counternarcotics cooperation between the two sides in the future.

China calls on the US to correct its wrongdoings, maintain the hard-won positive dynamics in the counternarcotics cooperation, and promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relationship.