BEIJING: China said on Wednesday (Mar 12) it would take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests in response to new US tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports.
“China has always believed that protectionism offers no way out and that there are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, when asked about the tariffs at a daily news conference.
“The United States’ actions seriously violate (World Trade Organization) rules, seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system and are not conducive to solving the problem,” said Mao.
“China will also take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” she added.
US President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent duties on steel and aluminium imports took effect at 0401 GMT on Wednesday and mark a new stage in the trade war between the United States and its main trading partners.
China is the world’s leading steel manufacturer, though not a major exporter of the product to the United States.
Earlier this month, Trump raised a blanket tariff of 10 per cent he previously imposed on all Chinese products to 20 per cent, provoking retaliatory levies by Beijing on certain US agricultural goods.
Source: CNA
