China urges Trump to stop threats, blackmail over trade war

China told Washington on Wednesday to “stop threatening and blackmailing” after US President Donald Trump stated that it was up to Beijing to come to the negotiating table to discuss ending their trade war.

Trump has imposed new tariffs on both friends and foes alike but has reserved his heaviest measures for China, with new levies of up to 145 per cent on many Chinese imports, even as Beijing retaliates with duties of 125 percent on US goods.

“If the US truly wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop exerting extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing, and engage in talks with China based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian.

“China’s position has been very clear. There is no winner in a tariff war or a trade war,” Lin added, noting: “China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to fight.”

Trump’s new levies mean that tariffs on certain Chinese goods have reached as high as 245 percent, a level the White House said in a factsheet on Tuesday was “a result of retaliatory actions.”

Beijing’s commerce ministry later stated that it had “noted that the cumulative tariffs on some individual Chinese exports to the US have reached 245 percent under various designations,” though it did not detail the scope of the affected products.

“The United States has instrumentalised and weaponised tariffs to an utterly irrational level,” the ministry said, adding that China would “ignore the US’s utterly meaningless tariff numbers game.”

Trump initially imposed 20 percent tariffs on imports from China due to its alleged role in the fentanyl supply chain, in addition to duties from previous administrations, then added 125 per cent tariffs over trade practices that Washington considers unfair.

However, his administration has granted a temporary reprieve for certain tech products, such as smartphones and laptops.

The White House stated on Tuesday that it was up to Beijing to make the first move towards ending the dispute, which economists warn could lead to a global recession.

“The ball is in China’s court. China needs to make a deal with us. We don’t have to make a deal with them,” said a statement from Trump, read out by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

China Growth

China reported on Wednesday that its economy grew by a forecast-beating 5.4 percent in the first quarter, as exporters rushed to ship goods ahead of US levies.

The escalation happening in April is going to be felt in the second-quarter figures, as the tariffs will send US firms looking for other suppliers, impeding Chinese exports and slowing investment,” Heron Lim from Moody’s Analytics told AFP.

Japan’s envoy for talks in Washington, slated for Wednesday, expressed optimism for a “win-win” outcome for both countries.

Ryosei Akazawa, who was set to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, said he would “protect our national interest.”

Carmaker Honda announced on Wednesday that it would shift production of its hybrid Civic model from Japan to the United States, although this represents a very small part of its global output.

“The rationale behind the decision is not a single issue,” a spokesman for the Japanese firm said. “The decision is based on the company’s policy since its foundation to produce cars where demand exists.”

South Korea, another major exporter, particularly of semiconductors and cars, stated that Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok would meet Bessent next week.

“The current priority is to use negotiations… to delay the imposition of reciprocal tariffs as much as possible and minimise uncertainty for Korean companies operating not only in the US but also in global markets,” Choi said on Tuesday.

Trump has imposed steep duties on imports from China since the start of the year, alongside his 10 percent “baseline” tariff on many US trading partners.

His administration has recently widened its exemptions from those tariffs, excluding certain tech products like smartphones and laptops from the global 10 percent tariff and the 125 percent levy on China.

Chip stocks across Asia slumped after Nvidia warned it expects a $5.5 billion hit due to a new US licensing requirement on the primary chip it can legally sell in China.

Trump also ordered a probe on Tuesday that may result in tariffs on critical minerals, rare-earth metals, and associated products such as smartphones.

AFP