BEIJNING: China on Tuesday accused the United States of "pressure, threats and blackmail" after US President Donald Trump floated additional tariffs of 50 percent on the world's second-largest economy.
"Tariff wars have no winners, and protectionism has no way out. Chinese people don't make trouble, but are not afraid of it. Pressure, threats and blackmail are not the right way to deal with China," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
It also urged the US to show "respect" if it wanted the two countries to meet for talks after President Donald Trump unleashed a trade war with sweeping tariffs.
"If the US really wants to talk, it should adopt an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit," Jian said, adding: "If the US ignores the interests of both countries and the international community and insists on a tariff war and a trade war, China will definitely fight to the end."
Meanwhile, Beijing condemned US Vice President JD Vance as "ignorant and impolite", after he referred to Washington borrowing money from "Chinese peasants."
"China's position on China-US economic and trade relations has been made very clear. It is surprising and sad to hear such ignorant and impolite words from this vice president," Jian said.
US President Donald Trump has upended the world economy with sweeping tariffs that have raised the spectre of an international recession, but has ruled out any pause in his aggressive trade policy despite a dramatic market sell-off.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Vance defended those tariffs as an antidote to a "globalist economy" he said had not worked for ordinary Americans.
"We borrow money from Chinese peasants to buy the things those Chinese peasants manufacture," the vice president said.
"That is not a recipe for economic prosperity. It's not a recipe for low prices, and it's not a recipe for good jobs in the United States of America," he said.
Trump believes the tariffs will revive America's lost manufacturing base by forcing foreign companies to relocate to the United States, rather than making goods abroad.
But most economists question that and say his tariffs are arbitrary.
