Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

If the US disregards the interests of both countries and the international community and insists on initiating a tariff war or trade war, China will fight till the end, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday, responding to a question over US President Donald Trump's threat to impose an additional 50 percent tariff on China if China doesn't drop its countermeasures.

The US' abuse of tariffs severely violates the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, breaches WTO rules, undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system, and disrupts global economic stability. This is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying, which has drawn widespread international opposition. China strongly condemns this and resolutely opposes it, Lin said.

"There is no winner in trade war and tariff war, and protectionism leads nowhere. We do not provoke trouble, nor are we intimidated by it. Pressuring and threatening are not the right way in dealing with China," Lin stressed, adding that "China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests."

In response to another question at the regular press conference on Tuesday about potential countermeasures, Lin said, China's legitimate rights cannot be deprived of, and China's sovereignty, security and development interests cannot be infringed.

"We will continue to take resolute and strong measures to safeguard our legitimate rights and interests," the spokesperson said.

Global Times