As the trade war with the United States escalates, China’s Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, has warned that China is prepared to retaliate against any nation that imposes tariffs.
His comments came amid growing tensions and a disruption in global trade between the world’s two largest economies.
Speaking at a public event in Washington on Saturday, Xie emphasized the devastating impact tariffs could have on the global economy, drawing a comparison to the U.S. tariffs imposed during the Great Depression in 1930. He urged Washington to seek common ground with Beijing and prioritize peaceful coexistence.
Referring to principles in traditional Chinese medicine, Xie suggested that balance should guide relations between the two nations.
“A good traditional Chinese medicine recipe usually combines many different ingredients which reinforce one another and create the best medical effect,” he said. “Likewise, the earth is big enough to accommodate both China and the U.S. We should pursue peaceful coexistence rather than collide head-on, and help each other succeed rather than get caught in a lose-lose scenario.”
The trade conflict has nearly frozen trade between China and the U.S., with tariffs exceeding 100% in both directions, along with numerous trade, investment, and cultural restrictions.
China’s top shipbuilding association also weighed in on the ongoing situation, strongly criticizing a U.S. plan to impose port fees on China-linked ships. Meanwhile, other nations such as Japan and Taiwan are already in talks with Washington regarding President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs.
However, there is no current high-level dialogue planned with China.
On Friday, Trump assured the public that the U.S. was having positive conversations with China, saying, “By the way, we have nice conversations going with China. It’s, like, really very good,” without providing further details.
However, Xie reiterated that China will not engage in discussions until the U.S. shows respect.
