Beijing: China pushed back hard against the latest US sanctions, warning it will take all necessary steps to defend its legitimate rights and interests.
In a post on X, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “China firmly rejects the recent U.S. restrictions and sanctions on China and will do what is necessary to protect its legitimate rights and interests.”
China firmly rejects the recent U.S. restrictions and sanctions on China, and will do what is necessary to protect its legitimate rights and interests.
Threatening high tariffs is not the right way to deal with China. The U.S. should correct its approach and act on the common… pic.twitter.com/bzutPFCCcR
— CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) October 13, 2025
He highlighted that “threatening high tariffs is not the right way to deal with China”, urging Washington to “correct its approach and act on the common understandings the two presidents reached in their phone calls”.
He added, “The two sides can and should address each other’s concerns through dialogue and manage differences on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit to keep bilateral ties on a steady, sound and sustainable track.”
The statements came as US President Donald Trump tried to downplay tensions, describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as “highly respected” and expressing hope for continued cooperation.
He wrote on Truth Social, “Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!! President DJT.”
The White House also posted on X, saying, “It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is History. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
“It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is History. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/Kx6deI2voC
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 10, 2025
The flare-up follows Trump’s threat to impose new 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting China to warn of countermeasures if the United States follows through. The warning comes after Beijing implemented export restrictions on rare earth minerals last week, escalating trade tensions and threatening months of progress in bilateral negotiations.
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said, “Resorting to threats of high tariffs is not the right way to engage with China. If the US persists in acting unilaterally, China will resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. Our position on a tariff war remains consistent — we do not want one, but we are not afraid of one.”
CNN reported that the rapid escalation has shaken global markets, sending stocks tumbling and raising fears of a repeat of the earlier tit-for-tat tariff war, when duties on Chinese and American goods soared to around 145 per cent and 120 per cent, respectively.
The tensions also cast uncertainty over the planned Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea in two weeks. The US president has expressed doubt about whether the summit will take place due to the rare earths dispute, according to CNN.