The China Ministry of Commerce urged the United States on Thursday to stop exercising “extreme pressure” on the second largest economy in the world and demanded respect in any commercial conversation, But the two parties remained at a dead point on who should start those conversations.
Donald Trump’s government has increased pressure on China raising tariffs on the importation of Chinese products in recent months. On Tuesday, the White House published an information sheet in which he claimed that China now faces a tariff of up to 245%.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has criticized tariffs for irrational and has affirmed that Beijing will ignore the “meaningless” tariff figures. He has also warned that China “will fight until the end” if the US insists on causing substantial damage to Chinese rights and interests.
“Unilateral tariff increases were initiated by the United States in its entirety”Said He Yongqian, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, at a weekly press conference.
Unlike several countries that have responded to Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” looking for agreements with Washington, Beijing has been uploading its own taxes to US products in response and has not sought conversationswhich says that they can only be carried out on the basis of mutual respect and equality.
Washington said Tuesday that Trump was open to reaching a commercial agreement with China, but that Beijing had to take the first step and that “The ball is on China’s roof.”
“We urge the United States to immediately stop extreme pressure, coercion and blackmail, and to solve the differences with China through an equal dialogue on the basis of mutual respect”Said the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Commerce.
The Ministry of Commerce has maintained a work level communication with its American counterparts, He said, he added that China is open to economic and commercial consultations with the United States.
However, “The person who tied the bell must be the one who unleashed it “He said, using a Chinese proverb.
