U.S. extortionate tariff hikes on China have become a numbers game: Chinese FM spokesperson

(ECNS) — If the U.S. continues to inflict actual damage on China's rights and interests, China will respond with resolute countermeasures and will stand its ground to the end, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Thursday in response to a recent U.S. government statement that Chinese imports could face tariffs of up to 245 percent.

In a Fact Sheet published on April 15 local time, the White House referenced a Section 232 investigation, claiming that the tariff rate reflects China's "retaliatory actions."

"We have noted the relevant reports," the spokesperson said. "You may need to ask the U.S. side how they arrived at that figure."

"China has made it very clear that the U.S.'s extortionate tariff hikes on China have become a numbers game, which economically does not make much actual difference anymore, except further demonstrating how the U.S. weaponizes tariffs to coerce and bully others," the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson reiterated that tariff and trade wars have no winners. "China does not want to fight those wars, but neither are we afraid of them. If the U.S. continues to play this numbers game with tariffs, it will simply be ignored," the spokesperson concluded. 

(By Evelyn)