BEIJING, February 4. /TASS/. The Chinese Embassy in Washington has described the countermeasures that Beijing has taken in response to new US tariffs as justified and reasonable.
"China has taken necessary countermeasures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and the basic principles of international law, which are completely justified and reasonable," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement.
The embassy pointed out that Beijing "firmly deplores and opposes" the US move to impose 10% tariffs on Chinese goods, citing the issue of the synthetic drug fentanyl. "China is one of the world’s toughest countries on counternarcotics both in terms of policy and its implementation. Fentanyl is an issue for the US. <...> Reducing domestic drug demand and strengthening law enforcement cooperation are the fundamental solutions," the statement notes.
The diplomatic mission noted that "China has filed a lawsuit with the WTO to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests."
Earlier, China announced tariffs on a number of US imports, which will take effect on February 10. Beijing will implement a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas and a 10% tariff on crude oil and agricultural machinery.