China says won’t bow down to US threat

THE threat and pressure of further tariffs from the United States can only be counterproductive, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday.

It was reported that the Trump administration would propose imposing 25 percent tariffs on a list of US$200 billion of Chinese goods in a new round of penalties, up from 10 percent.

China’s position on the economic and trade issues is firm, clear, and has not changed, spokesman Geng Shuang said, noting that pressure and blackmail by the US would not work.

If the US makes a further escalation, China will counter the threat and resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, Geng said.

China has always advocated handling trade frictions between China and the US through dialogue and consultation, Geng said, noting that the international community is very clear about the efforts China has made and its sincerity.

Geng said dialogue must be based on mutual respect, equality, rules and credit, and unilateral threats and pressures can only be counterproductive.

China has also lodged solemn representations with the US as Taiwan’s leader Tsai Ing-wen reportedly plans to “make a stopover” in the country next month.

Geng said the one-China principle is the general consensus of the international community. He said any attempt to create “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” will be firmly opposed by the Chinese people, and such an attempt is not in accordance with the fundamental interests of the people of Taiwan.

“We urge the Taiwan authority to return to the right track set in the 1992 Consensus,” Geng said.

He said China resolutely opposes the US or any other country that has diplomatic relations with China arranging such contacts with Taiwan.

“We urge the United States to abide by the one-China policy and the principle of the three joint communiques, not to allow Taiwan leader to ‘make a stopover’ and not to send any wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces, and maintain China-US relations as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait with practical acts,” Geng said.