Tariff appeasement will only embolden the bully, China's ambassador warns
China's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Zheng Zeguang voiced a firm rejection of the United States' "reciprocal tariffs" on Thursday, saying China will fight them if it must and that "appeasement" will only "embolden the bully".
The ambassador made the remarks at a promotional conference in London introducing the investment opportunities of North China's Tianjin to UK businesses.
"We have said from day one that tariff and trade wars have no winners," Zheng said. "China does not look for a war, but neither are we afraid of it. We will fight, if we must."
Zheng pointed out that "appeasement, or caving in, will simply invite more trouble and embolden the bully", and said China has taken countermeasures for its national interest, as well as for international justice and the good of the multilateral trading system.
US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up the rate on Chinese goods to 145 percent, and certain imports could face levies up to 245 percent. In retaliation, China has raised tariffs on all US imports to 125 percent.
Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday that the tariffs on Chinese goods will "come down substantially". On Wednesday, he suggested that a "special deal" could be reached, saying: "We're dealing with a lot of countries right now and could be with China."
Doors are open for talks, Zheng said, but the two sides are not engaged in negotiations at the moment.
If the US is serious about a negotiated solution, then it should stop all its "maximum pressure, threatening, and blackmailing" because "they won't work on China. Any dialogue should be based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit", Zheng said.
Zheng also expressed hope that the UK, a country with a long tradition of championing free and open trade, will "stay on the right side of history" and align with the majority of the international community on this major issue of principle.
