Beijing: China has lodged a new complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO), accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of “bullying” and intimidation amid escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
In a statement released Wednesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce condemned Washington's decision to raise tariffs by 50%, calling it a continuation of wrongful actions. "The U.S. measures highlight their bullying tactics and their attempts to dominate other major economies," said a ministry spokesperson.
Beijing emphasized that it will "firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests in accordance with WTO rules" and remain committed to protecting the multilateral trade system and the broader international economic order.
The tariff escalation has been swift and severe. Just a week ago, tariffs on Chinese goods entering the U.S. stood at 20%. Since then, they have surged to 104%, and following Trump’s latest announcement, they hit 125%.
Analysts say the figures are staggering and pose a serious threat to Chinese businesses that rely on exports to the U.S. for profits. Louise Loo of Oxford Economics noted that such high tariff levels could dramatically reduce profitability for Chinese firms.
Professor Eswar Prasad, a trade policy expert at Cornell University, pointed out that Chinese companies might be forced to focus on domestic consumers instead, especially as other countries are also taking steps to stem the tide of Chinese exports.
"Exports are critical to China's economy," said Prasad. "It will now be up to policymakers to boost domestic consumption to offset the impact."
