China announced on Friday that it will raise countervailing tariffs on all US products from 84% to 125%, effective Saturday. The move comes in direct response to Washington increasing its tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%.
In a statement carried by the official Xinhua News Agency, the Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council strongly condemned the US action, calling the new tariffs “reciprocal” and a violation of international trade rules. The commission criticized the US for disregarding the global economic system it helped build after World War II, saying the tariffs “make no economic sense,” even at their current level, according to Al-Jarida daily.
China signaled that it would avoid further escalation—so long as the US stops its tariff hikes—arguing that American products have already lost significant ground in the Chinese market. However, the commission emphasized that Beijing is prepared to take firm countermeasures if Washington persists in damaging Chinese interests.
In a related press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that China would “fight to the end” if drawn into a full-blown trade war. He warned that efforts to apply “maximum pressure” on Beijing through aggressive tariffs would be ineffective, stressing that any future negotiations must be founded on equality, mutual respect, and shared benefit.
