Beijing: Beijing has issued a sharp warning to countries considering trade concessions with Washington, urging them not to ‘appease’ the United States with ongoing tariff negotiations led by President Donald Trump.
The warning from China’s Ministry of Commerce follows a report suggesting the US plans to pressure its trade partners into limiting commerce with Beijing in relations for exemptions from newly imposed American import tariffs.
A spokesperson for the Chinese commerce ministry stated that, “Appeasement cannot bring peace, and compromise cannot earn one respect. China believes that all parties should stand on the side of fairness and should defend international economic and trade rules and the multilateral trading system.”
The Trump administration has stepped up trade talks with key partners, including Japan and South Korea. A Japanese delegation visited Washington, and Seoul is preparing for its negotiations in the coming days.
Since returning to the White House in January, President Trump has aggressively pursued protectionist policies, imposing tariffs of up to 145 percent on Chinese imports. Other nations have also been hit with a blanket 10 percent tariff on their goods, in place until at least July.
Economic observers say this puts countries like Japan in a difficult position. Jesper Koll, from Japanese trading platform Monex Group stated that, “About 20 percent of Japan’s profitability comes from the United States, and about 15 percent from the People’s Republic of China. Certainly, Japan doesn’t want to have to choose between America and China.”
Critics of Trump’s strategy warn that efforts to revitalise domestic manufacturing may take years, and the economic disruption could be severe. While the president argues that tariffs will encourage the purchase of American-made goods and attract investment, analysts question the long-term viability of this approach.
The administration has already shown signs of wavering. Earlier this month, a 90-day pause on tariffs was announced for all countries except China, following political and market backlash.
According to officials, more than 70 countries have reached out to initiate talks with Washington since the tariffs were announced. The US Trade Representative and Treasury Department have not commented on the latest developments.
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