During his address to Congress, Trump said that the new tariffs are aimed at protecting the national security and economy of the United States, emphasizing that the United States is not going to back down in the trade conflict with Beijing. In a statement released on Tuesday, China stressed its readiness to resist any actions by Washington. Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said: “If war is what the United States wants, whether it is a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we are ready to fight to the end.” This is reported by IZ with reference to the social networks X Chinese Embassy in US.
Tariffs on Chinese goods were raised from 10% to 20% amid accusations of Beijing's failure to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. In response, China imposed a 15% tariff on American agricultural products, demonstrating its readiness to escalate the conflict.
If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight until the end. https://t.co/crPhO02fFE
— Chinese Embassy in US (@ChineseEmbinUS) March 5, 2025
Lin Jian’s statement, quoted by the Chinese embassy in Washington, called the fentanyl issue a “fabricated pretext” for raising tariffs on Chinese imports. “We are not intimidated by intimidation,” the spokesman said, and attempts to pressure China are a miscalculation. He added that “pressure, coercion or threats are not the right way to deal with China.”
Lin Jian warned that the US's maximum pressure policy would only lead to a tougher response from Beijing. China called on the US to engage in dialogue on an equal footing to resolve conflicts related to fentanyl.
The tariffs on China took effect on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase the tariffs, citing a national security threat from the continued influx of synthetic opioids from China. He said Beijing's failure to address the problem was an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
Trump also said the new tariffs were part of a “reciprocal tariff” strategy aimed at strengthening the U.S. economy. Speaking before Congress, he said there might be “a little bit of a stir” for American consumers, but the ultimate goal was to “make the nation great again.”
In response to the US tariffs, China has imposed a 15% tariff on US agricultural goods, including soybeans and corn. Experts say such actions could significantly affect the US agricultural sector, which has already suffered losses from previous rounds of trade sanctions.
China also left the door open for cooperation in solving the fentanyl problem. “If the US really wants to solve the fentanyl problem, it would be right to consult with China, treating each other as equals,” Lin Jian said.
Experts warn that further escalation of the tariff war could lead to serious economic consequences for both the United States and China. In particular, rising tariffs could lead to higher prices for consumer goods and increased inflationary pressures.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, signaling an escalation of international trade conflicts. Analysts predict that the coming months could be crucial for the further development of the situation on global markets.
As previously reported, “Trump’s trade war has crashed the US stock market,” causing panic among investors and a sharp drop in shares of leading companies.