Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi counters U.S. 'tariff stick' with five questions

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday posed five questions to the international community in countering the U.S. policy of imposing sweeping tariffs upon its trading partners.

As the United States wields its "tariff stick" worldwide, every country has a decision to make, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at a meeting of the foreign ministers of BRICS members and partners in Brazil.

"Shall we allow the world to regress into a lawless jungle where might makes right? Shall we accept that one country's self-interest may override the collective good of all others? Shall we stand idle as international rules are trampled and discarded? Will any nation truly be able to protect its own interests through compromise and flinching?" asked the Chinese foreign minister.

"The ultimate question remains: Shall we submit to a unipolar hegemony bent on dominance, or shall we forge a multipolar world built on equality and order?" he asked.

History admits no regression and justice lies in the heart of people, Wang stressed.

China's stance on the trade war is clear and resolute, he said. "If it is imposed upon us, we will fight to the end. If negotiation is sought, it must be based on equality and respect."

What China seeks to defend extends beyond its own legitimate rights, as it also seeks to safeguard the shared interests of all, Wang said.

What China upholds is not just mutually beneficial cooperation, but the integrity of international rules, and what China stands for is not merely its national dignity, but a world where fairness and justice prevail, he said.

(Cover: A file photo of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. /VCG)