China Rejects Trade Deals That Undermine Its Interests Amid New Tariff Threats from Trump

BEIJING|| June 29: China has strongly objected to any trade agreement that compromises its core interests, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed threats to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on global trading partners, including China.

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce declared that “China will never accept any deal agreed to at the expense of its interests in exchange for so-called tariff relief.” The spokesperson warned that Beijing would “resolutely counter” such moves to safeguard its legitimate rights under international law.

The firm response from Beijing comes just days after President Trump hinted at escalating trade measures, stating, “I’d like to just send letters out to everybody: ‘Congratulations, you’re paying 25 percent.’” Trump made the comments while discussing the upcoming expiration of a 90-day tariff reprieve set to end on July 9.

The White House has not officially confirmed whether the tariff reprieve will be extended, but Trump’s remarks suggest the administration is preparing for a broader imposition of duties, reminiscent of the trade tensions that defined much of his previous term.

China’s Commerce Ministry has accused the U.S. of “unilateral bullying” since April, citing the imposition of what Washington calls “reciprocal tariffs” on global partners. The spokesperson criticized these actions as a “severe disruption to the multilateral trading system and normal international trade order.”

Beijing reiterated its openness to resolving economic disputes through “equal consultations,” while urging all countries to uphold the principles of fairness, justice, and adherence to international economic rules.

“China welcomes all parties to resolve economic and trade differences with the United States through equal consultations,” the statement read. “All parties should firmly uphold the multilateral trading system and the consensus reached under the Geneva trade framework.”

Despite Trump’s announcement on Thursday that the U.S. had signed a trade deal with China the previous day, no concrete details have been released by either side. Beijing only confirmed on Friday that they had reached a framework agreement on implementing elements of the Geneva trade talks consensus, without providing any specifics.

The latest developments have cast uncertainty over global markets and raised concerns among international trade observers about a potential renewed escalation in U.S.-China trade tensions, just as both economies face domestic and geopolitical headwinds.

With the July 9 deadline fast approaching, the international business community is closely watching for any official declarations from Washington or Beijing that may signal a clear direction for the future of U.S.-China trade relations.