BEIJING: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday that the US’ practice of exercising hegemony under the guise of reciprocity has sacrificed the legitimate interests of other nations to serve its own selfish purposes.
The comments came while responding to a question about China’s stance on US tariff policies, which seem to contradict international trade logic and economic globalization trends.
He said that it places “America First” above international rules, and is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying.
Lin emphasized that development is a universal right for all countries, not a privilege for a select few.
He reiterated China’s consistent position that countries should uphold the principles of joint consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, adhere to genuine multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, and defend the international system centered around the UN and the multilateral trade system with the WTO at its core.
