Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China will continue to retaliate against the United States’ “arbitrary tariffs” and accused Washington of “meeting good with evil” during a press conference on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary session.
Wang mentioned that China’s efforts to assist the U.S. in addressing its fentanyl crisis have been met with punitive tariffs, resulting in strained relations between the countries. He further added that no country should expect to suppress China while maintaining a good relationship with it, as such actions undermine trust and stability in bilateral relations.
The latest verbal escalation follows a statement made by the Chinese Ministry’s spokesperson on Tuesday, who said that if the U.S. has other agendas in mind and if war is what the U.S. wants, they are prepared to fight until the end. The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. repeated this statement on social media, to which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded on Fox News by stating that those who desire peace must also prepare for war.
Since the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to office in January, the two countries have engaged in a cycle of retaliatory tariffs. The U.S. has implemented flat tariffs of 20% on all Chinese imports, while Beijing has imposed additional 15% duties on various U.S. imports and expanded controls on doing business with key U.S. companies.
Regarding the Trump administration’s policy of prioritizing U.S. interests over international cooperation, Wang stated that if every country adopted such an approach, it would result in a “law of the jungle.” This would lead to smaller and weaker countries being affected first, and the international order and rules would face severe consequences. He emphasized that major countries should fulfill their international obligations and not take advantage of or bully weaker nations.
On the topic of the Ukraine war, Wang reiterated China’s stance of supporting conflict resolution through political negotiations. He believes that the Ukraine conflict could have been avoided and stated that all parties should learn from the crisis. Security should be mutual and equal, without any country building its security at the expense of another.
Wang also stated that China-Russia relations remain strong despite recent consultations between the U.S. and Russia on ending the Ukraine war. He mentioned that Beijing and Moscow are planning joint celebrations this year to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Regarding Taiwan, which China claims as its own, Wang said that Taiwan has never been and will never be a separate country. Advocating for Taiwan’s independence is seen as splitting the country, interfering in China’s internal affairs, and undermining the stability of the Taiwan Strait. Wang warned that those who support Taiwan’s independence are only “playing with fire” and would ultimately harm themselves.
Asked about Trump’s plan to take control of Gaza and resettle Palestinians in neighboring countries, Wang stated that Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and any forced change in its status would provoke further conflict. China supports the peace plan proposed by Egypt and other Arab countries and reiterated its support for a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel.
According to Wang, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to occur because the two-state solution has only been partially achieved. The state of Israel is already a reality, but the state of Palestine remains far from being achieved.
—Associated Press reporter Simina Mistreanu reported from Beijing. AP researcher Yu Bing and video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report.
Source: https://time.com/7265530/us-trump-tariffs-china-war-embassy-foreign-ministry-wang-yi/
