The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) Photo: VCG
China's Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) on Tuesday reiterated firm opposition to the US' move to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports starting March 4 citing the so-called fentanyl issue as an excuse, vowing to take countermeasures to firmly safeguard China's legitimate rights and interests.
China is one of the world's toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation. China and the US conducted widespread and in-depth cooperation on counternarcotics and made notable achievements. However, the US is shifting blame and doubling down on its mistakes by once again imposing tariffs on Chinese exports to the US under the pretext of the fentanyl issue, a spokesperson from MOFCOM said in a statement published on the ministry's website.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that on Tuesday he will impose 25 percent tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico. Trump on Monday imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports, doubling the 10 percent duty imposed in early February, US media outlet CNBC reported.
The MOFCOM spokesperson accused the US of disregarding facts, international trade rules and the voices of various parties, saying the US move is a typical example of unilateralism and bullying.
China has repeatedly stated that the US' unilateral tariffs violate WTO rules, undermine the multilateral trading system, and not only fail to resolve its own problems but also undermine China-US economic cooperation, the spokesperson said.
"China urges the US side to respect the rights and interests of other countries, immediately withdraw the groundless and self-defeating unilateral tariff measures, and hopes that the US will view and handle trade issues in an objective and rational manner and return to the correct path of resolving differences through good faith dialogue at the earliest possible time," the spokesperson added.
China is studying and formulating relevant countermeasures in response to the US' threat of imposing an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese products under the pretext of fentanyl, the Global Times reported on Monday, citing a reliable source.
The countermeasures will likely include both tariffs and a series of non-tariff measures, and US agricultural and food products will most likely be listed, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Global Times
