China warns countries against making trade deals with the U.S. unfavourable to Beijing

Trucks move past piles of containers stacked at a container terminal port on the Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Chinatopix Via AP)

BEIJING — China on Monday warned other countries against making trade deals with the United States to China’s detriment.

Governments including those of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea have begun negotiations with Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs against almost all of America’s trading partners on April 2. The import taxes were quickly paused against most countries after markets panicked, but he increased his already steep tariffs against China.

“China firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China’s interests,” China’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement. “If this happens, China will never accept it and will resolutely take countermeasures in a reciprocal manner. China is determined and capable of safeguarding its own rights and interests.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month the countries currently negotiating trade deals with the U.S. should “approach China as a group” together with Washington.

The U.S. tariffs against other countries are economic bullying, the ministry said in the statement attributed to an unnamed spokesperson.

“Appeasement cannot bring peace, and compromise cannot win respect,” it added. “For one’s own temporary selfish interests, sacrificing the interests of others in exchange for so-called exemptions is like seeking the skin from a tiger. It will ultimately only fail on both ends and harm others without benefiting themselves.”

China said it’s open to talks with Washington but no meetings have been announced.

Trump made China the target of his steepest tariffs, imposing several rounds of tariffs totaling 145 per cent duties on Chinese imports. Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of 125 per cent on U.S. imports.

The tariffs have spooked exporters and stalled shipments, while threatening to drag on the global economy.

The Associated Press