China says 'not afraid to fight' a trade war with the US
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The Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson says that Beijing is not afraid to fight the tariff war with the US, emphasizing that the United States should change its approach if it wants to resolve issues.
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People walk by the Beijing Stock Exchange on the Financial Street, in Beijing, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP)
China warned Wednesday it was "not afraid" to fight a trade war with the United States while also reiterating calls for dialogue after US President Donald Trump stated that it was up to Beijing to return to negotiations.
"If the US really wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop exerting extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing, and talk to China based on equality, respect and mutual benefit," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian announced on Wednesday.
"China's position has been very clear. There is no winner in a tariff war or a trade war," Lin stated, "China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to fight," in response to US President Donald Trump proclaiming that "the ball is in China's court. China needs to make a deal with us," in a statement read by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
China halts Boeing jet deliveries to US
China has instructed its airlines to halt all future deliveries of Boeing aircraft in retaliation against the United States' decision to impose extensive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, Bloomberg News reported April 15, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.
China's three major airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, had initially planned to take delivery of nearly 180 Boeing jets between 2025 and 2027, but those orders are now suspended, creating an opportunity for competitors like Europe’s Airbus and China’s homegrown plane maker COMAC to gain a larger share of the market.
Beijing has reportedly ordered Chinese airlines to stop purchasing aircraft-related equipment and parts from US suppliers, a decision that may substantially increase maintenance expenses for the current fleet of Boeing jets operating within China.
China warns US tariffs bringing instability
US tariffs will “inflict serious harm” on poorer nations, China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao warned, according to a statement from the ministry released April 12.
The warning came amid escalating tit-for-tat tariffs between Washington and Beijing, fueling concerns of a deepening trade war between the world’s two largest economies in a conflict that has rattled global markets.
Economists caution that disruptions in trade between the closely linked US and Chinese economies could drive up consumer prices and potentially trigger a global recession.
"These US 'reciprocal tariffs' will inflict serious harm on developing countries, especially the least developed countries, and could even trigger a humanitarian crisis," Wang told World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during a call on April 11, the statement said.
"The United States has continuously introduced tariff measures, bringing enormous uncertainty and instability to the world, causing chaos both internationally and domestically within the US," Wang added.
China announced on April 11 that it will raise tariffs on US goods to 125% but signaled it would no longer respond to any additional US levies, arguing that purchasing American products no longer makes economic sense under the current conditions.
