China opposes deals harming its interests

A container ship leaves Qingdao Port, Shandong province. (YU FANGPING/FOR CHINA DAILY)

China firmly opposes any country entering into trade agreements with the United States that undermine Chinese interests in exchange for so-called tariff relief, the Ministry of Commerce said over the weekend.

If such a situation arises, China will not accept it and will take resolute countermeasures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday, responding to a media query about recent trade talks between the U.S. and third-party economies.

The U.S. has been pressuring its trade partners to accept "reciprocal tariffs" since April, the statement said, calling the move a typical example of unilateral bullying that undermines the multilateral trade system and disrupts the normal order of international trade.

China welcomes efforts by other countries to resolve trade disputes with the U.S. through consultations on the basis of equality, the ministry said, urging all parties to uphold fairness and justice and jointly safeguard international trade rules and the multilateral trading system.

"It has been proved that only by firmly defending its principles and position can a country truly protect its legitimate rights," the statement added.

Yao Weiqun, a professor of international trade at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, said that China's response underscores its consistent position on defending its national interests while advocating multilateralism.

"By warning against trade-offs that compromise its core interests, China is sending a clear signal to the U.S. and other countries involved that it will not tolerate coercive bargaining tactics that threaten its economic sovereignty," Yao said.

Shi Xiaoli, a professor of international trade law at China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, said that in an increasingly fragmented global trade landscape, China's approach of resolutely safeguarding its interests while urging others to defend multilateral trade rules demonstrates its willingness to engage constructively with the international community.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Commerce Ministry said that economic and trade delegations from China and the U.S. recently confirmed the details of the framework for implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state during their phone talks on June 5 and for consolidating the outcomes of the economic and trade talks held in mid-May in Geneva, Switzerland.

The confirmation of these details came as the two sides maintained close communication following economic and trade talks held in London on June 9 and 10, the ministry said.

China will review and approve applications for the export of eligible controlled items in accordance with the law, while the U.S. will remove a series of restrictive measures imposed on China, it added.