China slams 'ignorant and impolite' US VP over 'peasants' comment
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China criticized US Vice President JD Vance as "ignorant and impolite" after his remark about Washington borrowing from "Chinese peasants."
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian during a news conference in Beijing on March 18, 2024 (AFP)
China criticized US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday as "ignorant and impolite" following his comment about Washington borrowing money from "Chinese peasants."
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that "China's position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear," adding, "It is surprising and sad to hear such ignorant and impolite words from this vice president."
US President Donald Trump shook the global economy with sweeping tariffs, stoking fears of an international recession, yet he remains firm in continuing his aggressive trade policy despite a significant market sell-off.
In a Fox News interview on Thursday, Vance backed the tariffs, describing them as a solution to a "globalist economy" that he believes has not benefited everyday Americans.
"We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture," the vice president said.
"That is not a recipe for economic prosperity. It's not a recipe for low prices, and it's not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America," he said.
Trump believed the tariffs would help restore America's dwindling manufacturing sector by compelling foreign companies to shift production to the US rather than manufacturing overseas.
More tariffs on China
This comes after Trump escalated tensions by threatening to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods, intensifying the global trade war that's triggering a massive selloff in global markets.
China announced a set of retaliatory measures in response to Trump's reciprocal tariffs announcement on Wednesday, including a 34% tariff on all US imports effective April 10, in addition to export controls on seven rare earth minerals and adding 11 companies to its unreliable companies list.
Trump made a threat on Monday, warning that "if China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long-term trade abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th."
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that any meetings with China to negotiate a trade agreement were "terminated", while noting that negotiations with other countries will "begin taking place immediately!"
Beijing was quick to respond, with its foreign affairs spokesperson criticizing the United States, stating that its policies represent “unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying with tariffs.” Jian warned that such actions could severely damage global economic recovery.
