Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng speaks at the 20th anniversary gala of the CGCC in New York City, U.S., February 11, 2025. /Chinese Embassy in the United States

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng on Tuesday stressed that a tariff or trade war cannot solve problems, still less can it hold back China's development.

Speaking at the 20th anniversary gala of the China General Chamber of Commerce-USA (CGCC) in New York City, Xie stated, "Tariff threats would never work on the Chinese people. Instead, they would only undermine the foundation of China-U.S. counternarcotics and economic cooperation, and raise costs for American households and businesses."

The ambassador reiterated that China is the first country in the world to officially schedule fentanyl-related substances as an entire category and enforce the tightest controls, having established schedules for the largest number of relevant substances. 

"The outcomes of China-U.S. counternarcotics cooperation are there for everyone to see," he added, warning that imposing additional tariffs on China under the pretext of the fentanyl issue would only be counterproductive.

Xie underscored the importance of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship for economic cooperation to thrive, and called on the business communities to stay committed, seize opportunities, and support bilateral ties.