President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 10 percent tariff on all Chinese imports was criticized Sunday by Beijing, with the move branded a “serious violation” of international trade rules.
The Chinese government signalled its intention to respond with unspecified countermeasures while challenging the tariffs at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Independent reports.
In a statement, China’s ministry of commerce expressed its strong opposition to the tariffs, describing them as a setback to the trade relationship between the two nations. The ministry pledged to introduce “corresponding countermeasures”, although it did not provide specific details on what these would entail.
Trump announced on Saturday that from 4 February the U.S. will impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, alongside the 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods, as Breitbart News reported.
MUST WATCH: @alexmarlow and @carney dunk on a drama-queen Canadian lawmaker acting indignant about Trump's border demands:
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 1, 2025
"The tariffs got 10 feet higher!"
"Their 'values' are not keeping fentanyl out of the U.S.?" pic.twitter.com/SIIy3pLQZF
Trump said the move was related to the flow of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, into the United States driven by the Communist state.
China rejected the suggestion it was responsible for the fentanyl crisis, claiming it had worked closely with the U.S. to combat narcotics.
“We have always believed that there are no winners in a trade war or a tariff war,” said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, while adding that China was “firmly committed to safeguarding [its] national interests”.
The ministry expressed concern that the tariffs could actually harm future cooperation on drug control.
RELATED — Fmr. Trump Official: Biden’s Weak Border Rules Let Chinese Fentanyl Flood into U.S.
Trump’s decision to impose the tariffs is part of a broader strategy to address the national security threats posed by immigration across porous Canadian and Mexican borders and illegal drug trafficking.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has previously linked China’s chemical companies to the global fentanyl supply chain.
Trump maintains the tariffs are necessary to curb the illegal flow of fentanyl into the U.S., which has caused widespread addiction and death.
