China rejects US tariffs, warns trade wars harm both economies

China's Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected unilateral tariffs imposed by the United States, warning that trade wars serve neither side. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said: "We oppose all forms of unilateral tariffs," speaking to reporters in Beijing. His remarks came as Washington's latest trade measures took effect, targeting dozens of trading partners with duties ranging from 10% to 12.5 percent.

Washington expands trade levies

The Trump administration announced the tariffs on Thursday over allegations that 60 trading partners failed to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering international markets. The duties entered into force at 12:01 am Eastern Time on Friday, replacing a temporary 10 percent global tariff that expired simultaneously. The measures cover trading partners accounting for 99.4 percent of US trade, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative. Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and India are among the economies affected alongside China.

Allied capitals push back

Allied governments across the Indo-Pacific quickly challenged the new levies. Tokyo expressed "regret" over the measures, while Canberra called the tariffs "unjustified" and Wellington rejected Washington's accusations regarding forced labor. The duties mark the latest escalation in trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.