The U.S. is wielding “tariffs as a weapon to exert maximum pressure and seek selfish gains,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a Thursday briefing, after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 125%.
“This move is against the whole world,” Lin said following Trump’s latest measure, which came despite his surprise decision to pause planned tariffs on other American trade partners for 90 days.
A container ship unloads its cargo at Kwai Chung Container terminal in Hong Kong on April 10, 2025.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Trump said China had shown a “lack of respect” by retaliating to his tariffs campaign. On Wednesday, Beijing announced it would increase tariffs on all U.S. goods to 84%.
Lin said Thursday that Beijing’s response would safeguard the Chinese economy and uphold “the common interests of the international community.”
Trump’s tariffs policy, he added, does not have international backing and “will end in failure. Let me stress that tariffs and trade wars have no winners. China does not want to fight them but will not fear when they come our way.”
“The U.S. has put its own interests over the public interests of the international community,” Lin said. “This will meet with stronger opposition from the international community.”
-ABC News’ Karson Yiu
