China’s foreign ministry has vowed to “fight to the end” in any conflict with the U.S., whether it be a “tariff war, trade war or any other war,” marking the most aggressive stance taken against U.S. President Donald Trump since his inauguration.

In response to Trump’s implementation of an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, bringing the total duty to 20%, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, stated, “Exerting extreme pressure on China is the wrong strategy and the wrong method… If the U.S. insists on engaging in a tariff war, trade war, or any other kind of war, China will fight back with determination. We advise the U.S. to drop its aggressive stance and return to the path of dialogue and cooperation as soon as possible.”

These remarks about preparing for any type of “war” were shared on social media by the spokesperson and subsequently relayed by China’s embassy in the U.S. The embassy message reiterated China’s readiness to “fight till the end” should the U.S. choose that path.

When asked to clarify what was meant by “any other war”, Lin responded, “If the U.S. has other intentions and persists in damaging China’s interests, we will stand up for ourselves. We urge the U.S. to abandon its confrontational approach and return to a partnership based on dialogue and cooperation.”

China has taken strong exception to Trump linking tariffs to the trafficking of fentanyl from China to the U.S. Lin dismissed this as an “excuse” for the U.S. to impose strict trade measures against China. China retaliated by levying duties of up to 15% on a range of U.S. agricultural products.

China’s State Council published a white paper this week titled “Controlling Fentanyl-Related Substances – China’s Contribution,” which emphasizes that China “rigorously meets its international drug control obligations” and places significant importance on collaboration in counter-narcotics operations with the U.S. In 2019, China classified all forms of fentanyl, making it the only major nation to permanently include these substances on its list of controlled substances. The White House, however, accuses Chinese officials of failing to take appropriate actions to prevent the trade of precursor chemicals to criminal organizations.

Lin’s strong rhetoric comes at a time when China is holding its biggest annual political event, known as the “two sessions,” which involve the National People’s Congress and a top advisory body. Normally free from aggressive “wolf warrior” diplomacy, this year’s event included Premier Li Qiang’s government work report, which noted that the world is experiencing “changes unseen in a century.”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/06/china-donald-trump-us-tariffs-trade-war