WASHINGTON: The Chinese Embassy to the US on Wednesday denounced the US government’s recent move to increase tariffs on a range of Chinese products, saying it violates WTO rules and international law, and will hurt American enterprises and consumers.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday the completion of a review of China’s trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The announcement includes plans to maintain current tariffs on Chinese imports and increase tariffs on a range of Chinese products, including electric vehicles, solar cells, semiconductors, medical products and certain steel and aluminum products.
The new tariffs signal an intensification of policies designed to protect U.S. manufacturers, while the Chinese Embassy said it would significantly drive up the cost of imported goods and inflict more loss on American companies and consumers.
A spokesperson for the embassy said in a statement that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has drawn a clear conclusion that the U.S.’s Section 301 tariffs violate WTO rules and international law.
“As one of the founders of the WTO, the U.S. has not only failed to be a role model in complying with WTO rules, but taken the lead in breaching them. By so doing, the U.S. can hardly embody the ‘fair competition’ it champions, nor can it keep its credibility in the international community,” said the embassy.
It stated that the U.S. has politicized economic issues to maintain its unipolar hegemony, and that the unscrupulous actions it has taken against China didn’t prove the strength of the U.S., but only revealed that the U.S. has lost confidence.
The embassy added that slashing more tariffs on Chinese products does not solve the U.S.’s own problems, but will further impede the normal functioning of global industrial and supply chains. It will not stop China’s development and rejuvenation, but will only spur the Chinese people to forge ahead with greater determination.
“The move by the U.S. is typical protectionism, political maneuvering and hegemonic bullying. It goes against Biden’s words of ‘not seeking to contain China’s development’ or ‘not seeking to decouple with China.’ The move contradicts the spirit of mutual understandings between the two presidents and severely undermines the atmosphere of bilateral cooperation,” said the embassy.
It urged the U.S. side to earnestly abide by WTO rules and immediately revoke the tariff increase, adding China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its rights and interests.
