China has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat, calling for dialogue and diplomacy instead of punitive trade measures. Trump on Saturday proposed that NATO countries collectively impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on China, citing Beijing’s continued oil imports from Russia.
The US President said the measure would remain until the war in Ukraine ended, claiming it would pressure Moscow by weakening Beijing’s “grip” on Russia.
“I believe that this, plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 per cent to 100 per cent TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Wang Yi: “China Does Not Take Part in Wars”
Responding sharply, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing remains committed to peace talks and the political settlement of international disputes. Speaking at a press conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, after meeting Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Wang emphasized that sanctions would not solve problems but instead “complicate” them.
“China does not participate in or plan wars, and what China does is to encourage peace talks and promote political settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue,” Wang Yi was quoted as saying by China Daily.
He added that the world is facing “intertwined chaos and continuous conflicts,” requiring multilateral cooperation rather than confrontation.
Call for Multilateralism and EU-China Cooperation
Wang urged both Europe and China to strengthen collaboration, highlighting that global challenges demand joint action. “China and Europe should be friends rather than rivals, and should cooperate rather than confront each other. Making the right choices amid the greatest changes in a century demonstrates the responsibilities that both sides should fulfill towards history and the people,” he said, as reported by Global Times.
Trump’s Accusations Against Xi Jinping
Trump’s tariff proposal came just hours after he accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of “conspiring against” the United States. The claim followed China’s largest-ever military parade on September 3, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
However, Trump appeared to soften his stance later, stating that his personal ties with the Chinese leadership remained “very good.”
Rising U.S.-China Tensions
The exchange highlights rising tensions between Washington and Beijing as Trump leans on tariffs as a geopolitical tool. While Trump frames tariffs as leverage to end the Russia-Ukraine war, China has made clear it prefers dialogue and warns against sanctions that could escalate global instability.
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