Foreign Ministry: China not to flinch when trade, tariff war comes

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday said China does not want to fight trade and tariff wars, but will not flinch when a trade and tariff war comes.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the ministry, made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a question on the U.S. imposing 125 percent tariffs on imported Chinese products.

Weaponizing tariffs by the U.S. to exert pressure and seek selfish interests has seriously infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, Lin said.

Such moves have violated the rules of the World Trade Organization, seriously damaged the rules-based multilateral trading system, and have had a serious impact on the stability of the global economic order, he said.

Lin said taking necessary countermeasures to oppose the U.S. bullying is not only to safeguard one's own sovereignty, security and development interests, but also to maintain international fairness and justice, the multilateral trading system and the common interests of the international community.

"The U.S. cause doesn't win the support of the people and will end in failure," he said.

Emphasizing that nobody wins in trade and tariff wars, he said China will not sit back and let the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese people be deprived, and watch international economic and trade rules and the multilateral trading system being undermined.

"If the U.S. insists on a tariff and trade war, China will fight to the end," he said, adding that the U.S. puts its own interests above the interests of the international community and sacrifices the legitimate interests of other countries to serve its hegemonic interests, which will inevitably be met with stronger opposition from the international community.