China accused the United States of misusing tariffs and cautioned other countries against forging broader economic deals with Washington at China’s expense—marking an escalation in the ongoing trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
China’s Commerce Ministry stated that it would “firmly oppose any party striking a deal at China’s expense” and pledged to “take countermeasures in a resolute and reciprocal manner.”
This response followed a Bloomberg report indicating that the Trump administration was preparing to pressure nations seeking tariff relief from the U.S. to limit trade with China, potentially through monetary penalties.
President Donald Trump had recently paused sweeping tariffs announced on numerous countries—except for those targeting China—highlighting the country as the primary focus of the new trade measures.
As a result, Washington raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, prompting Beijing to retaliate with duties reaching 125% on U.S. goods. Last week, China signaled that it would refrain from further increasing its across-the-board rates.
“The United States has abused tariffs on all trading partners under the banner of so-called ‘equivalence,’ while also forcing all parties to begin ‘reciprocal tariffs’ negotiations,” said a spokesperson from China’s Commerce Ministry.
The ministry emphasized that China is both willing and able to defend its national interests, and remains committed to strengthening solidarity with international partners.
“Nobody wants to pick a side,” noted Bo Zhengyuan, a partner at China-based policy consultancy Plenum. “If countries have high reliance on China in terms of investment, industrial infrastructure, technology know-how, and consumption, I don’t think they’ll be buying into U.S. demands. Many Southeast Asian countries belong to this category.”
In a strategic move, Beijing plans to convene an informal United Nations Security Council meeting this week to accuse the U.S. of using tariffs as a tool of coercion, thereby hindering global peace and development.
Earlier this month, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer disclosed that nearly 50 countries had approached him to discuss the steep tariffs imposed by President Trump. Bilateral negotiations have since taken place, with Japan considering increased imports of U.S. soybeans and rice, while Indonesia plans to boost U.S. food and commodity imports, reducing orders from other suppliers.
Financial markets have been shaken by the Trump administration’s tariff policies, with concerns growing over the potential for a global economic slowdown. Despite these developments, Chinese stocks made modest gains on Monday, although investor sentiment remains cautious due to mounting economic risks.
In another front of the dispute, Washington is seeking to limit Beijing’s progress in developing advanced semiconductor chips, citing potential military applications. Recently, the U.S. imposed port fees on China-built ships to reduce China’s dominance in global shipbuilding. Tech giant Nvidia reported it would incur $5.5 billion in charges due to export restrictions on AI chips.
In an effort to strengthen regional alliances, Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited three Southeast Asian countries, urging trade partners to stand against unilateral coercion. China emphasized its commitment to “tearing down walls” and broadening its network of trade partnerships amid ongoing tensions.
The trade war places Southeast Asian nations in a difficult position, given their strong commercial ties with both China and the U.S. ASEAN remains China’s top trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling $234 billion in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for over 16% of China’s foreign trade, according to Chinese customs data.
Meanwhile, U.S.-ASEAN trade reached approximately $476.8 billion in 2024, making the U.S. the fourth-largest trading partner for the regional bloc.
“There are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars,” Xi said in an article published in Vietnamese media—deliberately omitting any direct mention of the United States.
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