By Zhaoxing, Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan–
Recently, the United States has imposed tariffs on all its trading partners, including China, under various pretexts. This action has seriously infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, blatantly violated the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), gravely undermined the multilateral trading system based on rules, and severely disrupted the stability of the global economic order. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes such behavior.
The U.S. uses tariffs as a tool for extreme pressure and to pursue its own interests, which is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying. It fully exposes the hegemonic nature of the U.S. As many American economists have pointed out, the scale and scope of the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” are shocking and disastrous, tantamount to declaring war on other countries.
In response, China has issued the Chinese Government’s Position on Opposing U.S. Abuse of Tariffs. If the U.S. truly wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should demonstrate an attitude of equality, respect and mutual benefit. However, if the U.S. disregards the interests of both countries and the international community and takes concrete actions that harm China’s interests, China will not back down and is fully prepared to fight to the end.
China’s economy is currently stabilizing and improving, giving it the confidence and capability to withstand the impact of U.S. tariffs. Adam Posen, President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, wrote on the Foreign Affairs website that China—not the United States—holds the “escalation dominance” in the tariff war. He warned that the U.S. trade war could become an economic equivalent of the Vietnam War. According to the latest data from the Chinese government, China’s economy had a strong start in the first quarter, with GDP growing by 5.4% year-on-year. Goods imports and exports continued to rise, and the trade structure further improved. China will steadfastly focus on its own development, respond to external challenges through domestic economic restructuring, fully leverage its super-sized market advantages, accelerate the establishment of a new development pattern, and pursue high-quality development.
In the face of the U.S.’s unpredictability and maximum pressure tactics, China stands up to resist power politics, not only to safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests, but also to uphold international fairness and justice, and to protect the common interests of the international community, especially those of Global South countries. China has taken note that the U.S. tariff hikes have been met with unanimous opposition from the interim government of Afghanistan, the business community, and all sectors of society. The EU and many other countries around the world have also announced countermeasures, joining together to oppose U.S. tariff bullying. As the saying goes, “A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust one finds little.” The U.S. reckless actions are against the will of the people and are doomed to fail.
History and reality have repeatedly proven that there are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars, and protectionism leads nowhere. Upholding the multilateral trading system is the right path forward. In recent years, China has proactively expanded imports and significantly lowered import tariff rates multiple times. In 2024, China further announced that it would offer zero-tariff treatment on 100% of taxable products to the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, including Afghanistan. This fully demonstrates China’s firm commitment to opening up to the world, integrating into the global economy, and fulfilling its responsibilities as a major country.
At the recently concluded Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, emphasized that China is willing to act on the common vision of a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home, foster an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, follow the policy and principle featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness as well as a shared future for humanity, take the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness as the fundamental guidance, use high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the main platform, and pursue the model of security for Asia that features sharing weal and woe, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and prioritizing dialogue and consultation as the strategic support.
China is willing to join hands with all countries, including Afghanistan, to say no to the “tariff stick” and trade protectionism. Let us work together to uphold the multilateral trading system, pursue a path of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, promote a just and equitable multipolar world and inclusive, beneficial economic globalization, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.
