China is not backing down on its retaliatory tariffs despite President Donald Trump's decision to increase the United States tariff rate on Chinese goods.
Beijing responded with 34% tariffs on U.S. imports after Trump's last week announcement of varying retaliatory tariffs which affects about 60 countries.
The White House has announced that the rate on China will rise to 104% from 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday because China chose to retain its new trade levies.
President Trump approved an additional 50% tariff on Chinese imports after the earlier imposed tariffs of 20% and 34% took effect.
In a statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Trump administration of handling the trade face-off with intimidation, threat and blackmail.
The spokesperson, in a post on X on Tuesday, noted that the Chinese are not troublemakers, but we will not back away when trouble comes.
“Intimidation, threat and blackmail are not the right way to engage with China,” it reads. “We will not let anyone take away the Chinese people’s legitimate right to development.”
The Foreign Affairs Ministry vowed that China will not tolerate any attempt to harm the country's sovereignty, security and development interests.
“The U.S. doesn’t seem to be serious about having talks right now. If the U.S. truly wants to talk, it should let people see that they’re ready to treat others with equality, respect and mutual benefit,”
“If the U.S. decides not to care about the interests of the U.S. itself, China and the rest of the world, and is determined to fight a tariff/trade war, China’s response will continue to the end,” the statement added.
