No to bullying and economic domination

The United States recently announced the arbitrary imposition of tariffs on all its trading partners, including China, under various pretexts, launching a new round of the global trade war, sparking widespread concern in the international community.

Accordingly, the Chinese government issued its position on April 5th rejecting the US's misimposition of tariffs, stressing that it seriously infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, seriously violates WTO rules, seriously undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system, and poses a serious shock to the stability of the global economic system. The Chinese government expresses its strong condemnation and firm rejection of this.

The above-mentioned US actions violate basic economic rules and market principles, disregard the balance of interests reached in multilateral trade negotiations, and ignore the fact that the United States has long gained significantly from international trade. They use tariffs as a weapon to exert maximum pressure and advance selfish interests. These actions are pure unilateralism, protectionism, and economic bullying. The zero-sum game the US has been pursuing under the pretext of pursuing "reciprocity" and "parity" is, by its very nature, a pursuit of "America First" and "American exceptionalism." They aim to overthrow the existing international economic and trade order through tariffs. They place US interests above the overall interests of the international community, and serve US hegemony at the expense of the legitimate interests of other countries. They will inevitably be widely rejected by the international community.

China is a country with a long-standing civilization and a reputation for etiquette. The Chinese people treat others with honesty and sincerity. We neither stir up trouble nor are we afraid of trouble. Imposing pressure and threats is not the right way to deal with China. China has taken and will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests. In 2024, China's GDP exceeded 130 trillion yuan for the first time, a 5% increase over the previous year. The Chinese economy is a major contributor to and a pillar of stability for global economic growth. As the world's second-largest economy and the second-largest consumer market of goods, China will open its doors to the outside world wider and wider regardless of changes in the international situation.

Economic globalization is an inevitable path for human development. The multilateral trading system, centered on the World Trade Organization (WTO), has made significant contributions to strengthening global trade and promoting economic growth and sustainable development.

Openness and cooperation represent the trend of history, and the world will not, and must not, return to a state of isolation and closure. Mutual benefit and shared gains are in line with the aspirations of all peoples. Those who engage in economic bullying at the expense of others will ultimately suffer. Promoting economic globalization toward a more open, inclusive, balanced, and mutually beneficial direction is a shared responsibility of the international community.

Dimming others' lights won't make yours shine brighter, and obstructing others' paths will only ultimately obstruct your own. Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not the exclusive preserve of a few.

International affairs should be addressed through consultation among all, and all countries should jointly control the world's future and destiny. No one emerges as a winner from trade and tariff wars, and there is no way out from protectionism. We are confident that the majority of countries in the world, which believe in justice and fairness, will choose to stand on the right side of history and make a choice that serves their national interests. The world must embrace justice and reject hegemony!