MOC highlights China's stance on U.S. tariffs, claiming China will always provide support for foreign-funded enterprises

(ECNS) -- China on Sunday reaffirmed its stance on U.S. government tariffs at a roundtable with U.S. companies, claiming that the root cause of the tariffs lies with the U.S., hoping that U.S.-funded enterprises will take pragmatic actions and jointly uphold the stability of global industrial and supply chains to promote a win-win cooperation.

Representatives from more than 20 U.S.-funded companies, including Tesla, GE Healthcare, and Medtronic, attended this meeting.

Ling Ji, vice minister of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and deputy China international trade representative, stressed that China's door will only open wider after these tariffs are introduced. The policy of welcoming foreign investment will certainly not diminish in any way because of them.

The MOC will also continue to provide support for foreign-funded enterprises in China, including U.S.-funded companies, protect their lawful rights and interests in accordance with the law, and actively address their concerns and demands.

"China has been, is, and will be an ideal, safe, and promising investment ground for foreign investors," said Ling.

The U.S. has imposed arbitrary tariffs on all of their trading partners, including China, under various pretexts, severely undermining the rules-based multilateral trading system, whilst infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of all nations, he noted.

"The Chinese government strongly condemns and firmly opposes these actions. It has already taken decisive countermeasures," he said, adding that China's countermeasures aim not only at resolutely safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of enterprises, including U.S.-funded companies, but also at urging the U.S. to return to the right track of multilateral trade.

"We hope that U.S.-funded enterprises will trace the source, clarify cause and effect, voice rational opinions, take pragmatic actions, and jointly uphold the stability of global industrial and supply chains to promote win-win cooperation," Ling said.

(By Zhang Dongfang)