China warns countries not to sign US trade deals at its expense
Beijing says its interests must not be used as bargaining chips as nations scramble to reach tariff agreements ahead of July deadline
In a statement on Saturday evening, the Ministry of Commerce said Beijing firmly opposed any party reaching tariff relief deals with the United States at the expense of China’s interests.
“Should such a situation arise, China would never accept it and would take firm, resolute countermeasures to defend its legitimate rights and interests,” it said.
The ministry also had a word for countries scrambling to reach a deal with Washington to avoid the reimposition of punitive duties, warning that only by “resolutely defending principled stances” could they effectively safeguard their rights and interests.
“China welcomes all parties to resolve trade disputes with the US through equal consultations. We call on them to be on the side of fairness and justice and vigorously uphold multilateral international trade rules,” it said.