Beijing, China - Beijing on Friday strongly condemned the fresh US tariffs imposed on China and 59 other countries over forced labor concerns, warning Washington against renewing its trade war.
"China’s position on China-US economic and trade issues is consistent and clear," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Friday when asked by the AFP about yesterday's tariff announcement.
"We oppose all forms of unilateral tariffs. Tariff wars and trade wars serve no one's interests."
The new US levies, announced by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday, range from 10–12.5%, with China slapped with the highest rate.
The new tariffs replace an expiring global duty rolled out by President Donald Trump earlier this year after his universal tariff policy was slapped down by the Supreme Court.
In unveiling the duties, Greer said Washington was "rigorously" enforcing a forced labor import ban and that it was "well past time for our trading partners to do the same."
Economies that have implemented a forced labor prohibition – including Canada, the European Union and the UK – received the lower 10% rate.
Other major trade partners including India and Japan were hit with the higher 12.5% tariffs.
After Trump visited Beijing this year, China said it would work with the US to reduce tariffs, but the latest levies threaten to renew trade tensions.
Dozens of the US' closest trading partners and allies – such as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand – have condemned the new levies as "unjustified" and "inconsistent" with existing obligations.
In an angry statement on X, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he is "extremely disappointed" by the tariff announcement.
"The US investigation did not provide meaningful evidence to support claims in relation to forced labour. Tariffs are not the way – they drive up costs and uncertainty for businesses," he said.