BEIJING, April 15 — China is "tearing down walls" and expanding its circle of trading partners, "shaking hands" instead of "shaking fists", its foreign ministry said on Tuesday, as Beijing works on diversifying ties amid an escalating trade war with the United States (US).
US President Donald Trump has added an eye-watering 145 per cent in tariffs on Chinese goods this year as part of broader reciprocal duties on all US trading partners. That prompted ridicule and criticism from Beijing, which retaliated by jacking up levies on US goods by 125 per cent.
"In the face of external uncertainties, China will insist on shaking hands rather than shaking fists, tearing down walls instead of building barriers, connecting instead of decoupling," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The World Trade Organisation has warned that the high-stakes Sino-US trade row could cut the shipment of goods between two economies by as much as 80 per cent and severely hurt global growth.
Beijing has called Trump's tariffs strategy "a joke", irritating US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
"These are not a joke. I mean, these are big numbers. I think no one thinks they are sustainable, wants them to remain here, but it is far from a joke," he said in a Bloomberg Television interview."
Bessent added that US-China negotiations would have to come from "the top," involving Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
On Monday, Xi kicked off a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, which is facing potential US tariffs of 46 per cent, he called for the two countries to oppose "unilateral bullying" and to strengthen cooperation in production and supply chains.
Chinese and Vietnamese officials also signed dozens of cooperation deals during Xi's visit, including on production and supply chains as well as railway cooperation.
After a two-day stop in Hanoi, Xi will continue his Southeast Asian trip by visiting Malaysia and Cambodia, which could be slapped with additional US tariffs of 24 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively.
A commentary published on Tuesday by China's state-run People's Daily underlined the need for unity amid the trade turbulence.
"In the face of crisis, no one can keep only to oneself. Only unity and cooperation can meet the challenge," it said, referencing Dorothy's adventure in the American children's story The Wizard of Oz.
The commentary presented China as a benevolent advocate for free trade, spotlighting China's decision to implement zero tariffs for some of its least developed partners.
— Reuters
