BEIJING: China on Friday (Feb 28) said it opposed President Donald Trump’s latest threat to slap an extra 10 per cent duty on Chinese imports over deadly drug flows into the US, accusing the White House of “shifting the blame” and taking steps to destabilise global supply chains.
Trump said on Thursday his proposed 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods will take effect on Tuesday, along with an extra 10 per cent duty on Chinese imports.
The fresh China tariffs, in addition to the 10 per cent tariff levied on Feb 4, coincide with the start of China’s annual parliamentary meetings on Wednesday, a set-piece political event where Beijing is expected to unveil its main economic priorities for 2025.
“We have repeatedly stated that unilateral tariffs violate World Trade Organization rules and undermine the multilateral trading system,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
“China has one of the strictest and most thoroughly enforced anti-drug policies in the world,” it said. “Now, (the US) once again is threatening additional tariffs. This behaviour is nothing more than shifting the blame and shirking responsibility.”
