China warns of firm countermeasures amid renewed U.S. tariff threats

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has issued a strong response to renewed U.S. tariff threats, warning that any further economic pressure from Washington would be meaningless and would provoke "firm countermeasures."

“Even if the United States imposes even higher tariffs, it would no longer make economic sense and ultimately go down as a joke in world economic history,” the embassy wrote on X, quoting the Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council.

The statement follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to suspend some tariffs while increasing duties on Chinese goods to as high as 125 percent — a move that has rattled financial markets and triggered global concern about the future of multilateral trade.

The embassy warned that additional measures would be disregarded by Beijing, but made clear that any substantial threat to China’s interests would be met with a decisive response. “Should the United States persist in substantially undermining China’s interests, China will take firm countermeasures and fight to the end,” it said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi echoed this stance during a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, accusing the U.S. of acting with impunity and ignoring international norms.

Wang warned that “the wheels of history must not be turned back,” calling on the global community to oppose unilateralism and coercion.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian took an even sharper tone during a press briefing on 11April, invoking a classic warning:

A commenter to the original post of the Embassy asked Grok, xAI’s AI platform, to address the growing debate over which nation has more leverage in a potential trade war. “China has more leverage in a trade war right now,” the reply read. It cited China’s control over rare earth exports and high profit margins as advantages, along with Beijing’s ability to use tariffs to consolidate domestic support. While the U.S. holds long-term economic advantages, Grok said, China’s short-term resilience gives it the upper hand for now.

With tensions mounting between the world’s two largest economies, tariffs have once again become a central battleground. As China signals its readiness to retaliate and the U.S. doubles down on its trade stance, global markets and diplomatic alliances may soon feel the weight of a renewed economic standoff.