China says it opposes new US tariffs, warns against trade wars

Beijing condemned fresh US tariffs imposed on China and 59 other countries over alleged forced labour concerns Friday, and warned Washington against waging a trade war.

The US levies range from 10 to 12.5 percent, with China slapped with the highest rate.

“We oppose all forms of unilateral tariff measures,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a news briefing on Friday.

“Tariff wars and trade wars are not in the interests of any party,” he warned.

The new tariffs replace an expiring global duty rolled out by President Donald Trump earlier this year.

The Trump administration has moved swiftly to rebuild the president’s tariff wall after the Supreme Court struck down a host of his duties in February — dealing a blow to his ability to unleash steep levies at will.

In unveiling the duties, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington was “rigorously” enforcing a forced labour import ban and that it was “well past time for our trading partners to do the same”.

Economies that have implemented a forced labour prohibition — including Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom — received the lower 10-percent rate.

Other major trade partners including India and Japan were hit with the higher 12.5-percent tariffs.

China and the United States, which spent much of last year embroiled in an escalating trade war, reached a truce when Trump and President Xi Jinping met last October.

After Trump visited Beijing this year, China said it would work with the United States on reducing tariffs, but the latest levies threaten to renew trade tensions.