BEIJING, April 7. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs will strongly affect global economic recovery and not bring China to negotiations with the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a briefing.
"The United States’ indiscriminate introduction of tariffs is equivalent to depriving all countries of the right for development, with this particularly concerning the Global South countries. <…> This will seriously damage the process of global economic recovery and inevitably trigger widespread opposition from the global community," he told a briefing.
The analysis of the data provided by the World Trade Organization (WTO) demonstrates that Trump’s protectionist policies will deepen the gap between the rich and the poor in various countries, while the least well-off will be hit the hardest, the official noted, adding that such a line will negatively influence the achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals through 2030.
The American leader’s actions contradict the WTO rules, "seriously undermining the normal international trade and economic order, and security and stability of global supply chains," the Chinese diplomat said. He also noted the importance of preserving the principles of multilateral cooperation and the UN-headed international system.
"We have repeatedly stressed that pressure and threats are not a correct way to do business with China, which will firmly protect its legal rights and interests," he said when asked about the prospects of the start of trade discussions between Beijing and Washington.
On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced the implementation of tariffs on products from 185 countries and territories, setting the minimum rate at 10%. He also imposed individual tariffs for certain states, including a 34% tariff on China. As a response measure, Beijing will apply similar tariffs on all US goods from April 10.
Previously, Trump said that Washington would not enter into an agreement on customs tariffs with Beijing as long as the trade imbalance persisted in trade turnover between China and the US.