BEIJING – China’s foreign minister Wang Yi has fallen violently in the US over the trade war and the imposition of tariffs on Asian countries.
At a press conference held on the sidelines of an ongoing session of the National People’s Assembly (NPC) in Beijing on Friday, the top diplomat said China would “sturdyly counteract” US pressure.
Since returning to the White House on January 20th, US President Donald Trump has been engaged in a trade dispute with Beijing.
On Tuesday, his administration imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, reducing the cumulative obligation to 20%. China responds by imposing a maximum of 15% obligations on a variety of US agricultural products.
“We should not fantasize that we can restrain China on the one hand and build good relations with China on the other. This dual approach will not only encourage stability in bilateral relations, but also establish mutual trust,” Wang said in response to Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on China’s exports.
China’s FM: “High fences and small yards” cannot suppress the spirit of innovation. Veteran Chinese diplomats further denounced Trump’s “America First” policy. “If everyone first emphasizes my country and becomes obsessed with the status of strength, the laws of the jungle will once again govern, with smaller and weaker countries taking the brunt of the first.
Wang highlighted China’s technical achievements as evidence that US sanctions were ineffective.
“If there’s lockdown, there’s breakthroughs. If there’s restraint, there’s innovation,” he said.
Referring to Washington’s strategy to limit access to Beijing’s key technologies, Wang pointed out that “high fences and small yards” could not suppress the spirit of innovation, and that disruption in chain chains only leads to self-segregation.
China’s incredible technological advances have been in the spotlight since Deepseek unveiled its latest AI (AI) model in late January.
Chinese AI companies have shocked global financial markets after breaking through app download charts and plunged US tech stocks.
Deepseek’s popularity challenges US hegemony in the global technology market.
China’s innovation in the tech industry serves as a fortress against US enforcement measures, urging Trump to bite a bullet and deal with conflict with Beijing through diplomatic debates.