BEIJING: China accused the United States of “double standards” on Sunday (Oct 12), after President Donald Trump announced an additional 100 percent tariff on the world’s second-largest economy.
“The relevant US statement is a typical example of ‘double standards’,” an unnamed Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement published online.
Trump said on Friday that he would impose the extra levies, due to take effect on Nov 1, in response to what he called “extraordinarily aggressive” new Chinese export curbs on rare-earth minerals.
He also called into question the prospects for a previously announced meeting set for three weeks from now with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, saying on Truth Social that “now there seems to be no reason to do so”.
“I haven’t cancelled,” Trump later told reporters at the White House. Beijing has never confirmed the meeting.
On Sunday, Beijing accused the US of ratcheting up economic measures against China since September.
“These actions … have severely harmed China’s interests and seriously undermined the atmosphere of the economic and trade talks between the two sides,” the commerce ministry said.
“Threatening high tariffs at every turn is not the right approach to engaging with China.”
Source: CNA
