Ling Ji, vice minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, chaired the meeting, which was attended by representatives from more than 20 U.S. companies, including Tesla, GE Healthcare, and Medtronic.
Regardless of global uncertainties, China remains resolute in its path toward reform and opening up, Ling said, noting that multilateralism is the inevitable solution to the challenges facing the world and China’s door to the outside world will only open wider.
He reiterated that China’s policies to attract foreign investment have not changed and will not change.
The ministry will continue to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign enterprises in China, including those from the United States, and actively respond to their concerns, Ling said.
The roundtable came amid a new round of trade tensions as the United States recently hiked tariffs on trade partners including China. Ling condemned the move, calling it a serious blow to the rules-based multilateral trade system and an infringement on the legitimate rights of other nations.
China has taken firm countermeasures in response, aimed not only at defending the rights of affected enterprises — including U.S.-funded companies — but also at letting the United States return to the multilateral framework, Ling said.
Calling the United States itself the root cause of current turbulence, Ling urged U.S. businesses operating in China to examine the situation objectively, voice rational perspectives, and take pragmatic steps to help stabilize global supply chains and promote cooperation for mutual benefits.
Source: China’s Ministry of Commerce/ State News Agency Xinhua
China’s Foreign Ministry: U.S. slapping of “reciprocal tariffs” deprives countries, especially Global South, of right to development
Beijing, 7 April 2025
The unilateral imposition of “reciprocal tariffs” by the United States effectively deprives countries, particularly those in the Global South, of their right to development, and is certain to face widespread opposition from the international community, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
Recently, the United States has imposed tariffs on all its trading partners, affecting over 180 countries and regions worldwide, including some economies classified as the least developed countries by the United Nations. Analysts suggest that these high tariffs will deliver an unprecedented and severe impact on poor nations with simple economic structures and high dependency on exports.
In response to a related query, spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily news briefing that the United States, under the guise of “reciprocity,” acted in a manner that prioritizes its own interests at the expense of other nations’ legitimate benefits. This approach places “America First” above international rules, exemplifying unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying.
Lin added that the Chinese government has issued its position on opposing U.S. abuse of tariffs, making clear its solemn attitude.
Data analysis from the World Trade Organization indicates that, amid economic disparities and unequal power dynamics, U.S. tariff policies will exacerbate the wealth gap among nations, with less developed countries facing particularly severe repercussions. This trend poses a significant threat to the efforts intended to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Lin said.
The United States’ imposition of differentiated tax rates violates the World Trade Organization’s principle of non-discrimination, severely undermining the normal international economic and trade order, as well as the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, Lin said, adding that this action significantly damages the multilateral trading system, poses a severe threat to the global economic recovery process, and is bound to meet widespread opposition from the international community.
Openness and cooperation are a historical trend, and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes are the aspirations of people. Development is a universal right of all countries, not the privilege of a few, said Lin.
He emphasized that all countries should uphold the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, adhere to true multilateralism, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, and uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core.
Source: China’s Foreign Ministry / State News Agency Xinhua